The dance of tigers
by Cyanide Sins
Summary: Sienna Khan was a great leader. A great speaker, a dedicated politician, someone who cared for the people. A meeting with a human derails her plans for the future slightly... But at least she'll get some dancing lessons out of it. Jaune Arc would probably die in initiation, right? That's what filthy humans do, after all.
1. Chapter 1

**The dance of tigers**

 **Just a little snippet of a thought that came to me whilst writing A Grimm Tale. Expect somewhat species-ist comments from Sienna, though. She is a very vocal Faunus Rights activist.**

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In the apartment that she had in the upper side of Vale's residential district, she stirred from her slumber. Slowly rising from the mess of pillows and the sheets that'd tangled around her body, Sienna Khan allowed herself a look through the room, noticing that the clothes that she'd discarded earlier that morning were still on their appointed seat. She could have draped them so that they would have still been neat and orderly, yet she had not cared.

The door swung open, her personal assistant standing in the door opening. "It's time for your morning appointments, Miss Khan." The woman who entered was good at her job, even as Sienna pulled herself out of the warm and protective sheets, yawning at the sudden chill that she felt. "Get dressed and we'll be getting to the centre soon. You are to help the poor orphans for a while."

The same song and dance that had been going on for a while. The White Fang was more than just a bunch of crazed lunatics that came together to terrorize the humans, to her. In her own words, they were more of a movement to ensure that humanity would respect the Faunus, to treat them equally due to the fear of reprisal.

' _As if any of the humans could do something like this! We are the prized children of this world, not the humans.'_

It was one of the core tenets of her beliefs. To grow strong and to show that strength, that was what a Faunus should be like. Nothing like the words and politics that Ghira had been involved in. She shuddered a little as she stepped under the spray of the shower, washing her body swiftly with the methodical brushes of the sponge.

"Your appointment is in thirty minutes, Miss Khan." Her assistant announced, Sienna stepping from the spray, her hands brushing through her short hair, her ears leaking water still. _'One of the issues of having another set of ears is the need to brush them again.'_

A spray of perfume to coat her body with the scent of her favourite flowers, she stepped into her room once more, dressing swiftly. She stepped out, the loosely flowing garment that she wore something unlike what 'Sienna Khan, High Leader of the White Fang' would wear. A set of glasses on the bridge of her nose completed the look, the ornament that she usually had at her forehead absent. _'Now I look presentable.'_

As she stepped into the vehicle that would bring her to her destination, her assistant acting as the chauffeur for now, she pulled up the files on the orphanage from the information package that'd been laid out for her. "Are you sure that this is the best way? I don't do well with children." She asked, her assistant giving a soft click as a response. The set of antlers that she had growing from her forehead were beautiful, not like those hairless apes who merely thought that Faunus were but pets.

"It would project an image of warmth and care for the young ones, Miss Khan. The statistics have shown that a positive public image can dissuade the people from thinking about our more radical elements." Her assistant's voice was a higher pitch than her own, yet it was not unpleasant to the ears to listen to."So I just have to help out little orphans and have pictures taken, right?"

The orphanage was in one of the sections of Vale that had barely been touched by the refurbishment of the city in the late thirties, the Vytal treaty having ensured that the cities that made up the Kingdoms were revitalized. The poor Faunus children looked at her with their pleading little eyes, as she stepped out of the car.

"Are you going to be our mommy?" A small girl asked, the horns growing from her forehead hinting at her ancestry. Sienna felt her heart beat a little faster. "I'm just here to help. You can call me Sienna."

' _It is always crucial to remain in control. Do not give the impression that your anger is easy to rouse. The public opinion is as much a battlefield as is the field of politics.'_ The words had been imprinted on her by her former teacher, whose skill in the art of speech-giving was something that had been notable, for a Faunus. "Miss Sienna, will you be here for us tomorrow too?"

Her heart throbbed a little at the pitiful sound of the girl's voice. It was hopeful, afraid of being abandoned. "I'm afraid I'm just here for a day but I will come back, someday." The lie slipped easy from her lips, as she shifted her stance a little, reaching out a hand. "But I'd love to get to know you. What's your name?"

The girl's eyes were wide as she looked at the hand, taking it. "My name is Sandy. The matron says that I've always got sandy hair, so it is Sandy." The hair was perhaps a mottled sandy colour, yet Sienna did not comment on that. She smiled. "That's a lovely name, Sandy." She said.

Her personal assistant followed behind her. The weapon that the woman had holstered in the holster below the suit that she wore was something of a necessity. The goodwill of the people did not extend to all Faunus. Some resisted her dominion of the White Fang.

"Miss Khan, it's an honour to have you here with us." The matron said, her voice sounding like the welcome to a state affair, Sienna's lips pushing into a small smile. "Matron... Farb, is it?" The woman nodded. "Emmaille Farb, at your command, High Leader."

She put on her smile again. "Just Sienna for now." She said, as she took the woman's hand. To show that she cared for her people, against the human disgust that came with their kind. To show that she was an ally, a person in whom faith could be placed. "I'm here to help... so, tell me where I can help."

The jobs would be picked out for her by the PR team of the White Fang, nothing that was too stressful on the system. Just something that could look good in the underground papers, to show that Sienna Khan was a merciful woman. Her eyes did not miss the flicker of fear that rushed over the woman's face. "Only a few jobs remain, Miss Khan."

"The Matron has been really busy. She said that there was this important lady coming for a visit." Sienna smiled at the girl, Sandy looking up at her. "Are you that important lady, Sienna?" Her personal assistant looked a little strained at the casual use of her first name but Sienna knew what to do. It was all a game of politics. "Do you think I am?" She asked, Sandy shrugging.

"I dunno. I'm just six, so the matron says I shouldn't worry too much." Sienna could see that the girl indeed did worry. "I'm here to help out, though." She glanced at her personal assistant, a minutely raised eyebrow enough to clue the woman in.

"That's good. Little Timmy wet the bed again." Sandy said, the matron wincing again. "Miss Khan, allow me to attend to that." Sienna shook her head. "It's what we do for _our_ people, Miss Farb." The glib platitude was enough to soothe the worries of a woman, as the matron looked conflicted.

"Show me little Timmy's bed and I'll clean it up." Sienna didn't really think much about the tasks of a domestic nature, as she was used to far worse things for the cause. The smell of dying people really did not compare to the smell of piss-soaked sheets. Humans had been the worst offenders for smell... How they could smell like nothing at all was beyond her.

' _They do not know the needs of the Faunus... We're a proud people, not... animals.'_

She had grown up in poverty. She had seen how the world had been cruel and harsh against her and her kind. She had conquered her fear and brought herself to the point where she could stand TALL once more, to grow into the woman that she was.

The sheets were put in the hamper ten minutes later, the mixture of vinegar and baking soda on the mattress left to soak up the urine, as she smiled at the young boy that seemed to be abashed at being aided in this fashion. _'It is hard to find a good man who doesn't feel intimidated by my status.'_

Dating as the High Leader of the White Fang was out of the question. "Ma'am, we need to go to our next appointment in an hour and a half." Her personal assistant said, the soft sigh she suppressed not suitable for a leader of a people. "Of course."

"So... What do you do for fun around here?" She inquired, Timmy looking up at her with a wavering smile on his lips. "Sometimes we play together with the humans. There's an orphanage a street away, we're the Faunus and they're the humans. We play Foo foo." The smile on her lips stiffened a little, the flare of distaste inside her growing.

' _Humans and Faunus working together... playing together as if they would not see us locked in cages.'_ She mustered a warm smile though, even though internally, she raged. "And do the humans play nice?"

Timmy nodded, his little head with his dark brown hair and his dog ears bobbing. "They're nice, Miss Sisi." The young boy could not pronounce her name properly, so she had accepted the nickname. "There's this girl on their team that's really cool. Her name is Erbse. She's from Atlas but came to live her. Her mummy and daddy died in an accident."

The chains that would bind them together, the sweltering condition of the mines as the explosions rocked their frames. The smell of sweat and waste mingling together as they were penned up like beasts. "That's nice to hear that you've made a friend." She said, her teeth visible, a sign of her irritation and anger. "But you should remember that humans don't much like us. She'll start to dislike you too when she's a little older."

Humans always did that. They would say 'We're your friends' at first and then they would take you and everything that you owned. "Why? She's so nice." She patted the child's head, her eyes going to her assistant. "She'll be seeing you differently, because you were all born special."

In the car, she could smell the sweat on her body. The picture session had been nice, with several of the children arranged around her, her hands busy with the picture book, reading to the youngest of the lot. It had not stopped her from working up a sweat though. She would do her best for the cause. "A quick shower before we go to the next appointment." The assistant nodded, driving back to the apartment building, allowing her fifteen minutes for her shower. She was back in the seat once she had properly cleaned herself up, looking like the prim and proper Sienna Khan once again. "What is our next appointment?"

"The administration office." Looking out of the window, Sienna sighed. The weather was nice this time of day, even though it was only eleven. "Do we have to?" She inquired, even as she began her mental calculations about what would be done there.

Boring files stacked on boring files, all requiring the signature of one of the leadership of the White Fang. A job that she could do, thanks to the office that she held, as well as the skill in administrative efforts thanks to some online classes that she had followed.

' _Somehow, I don't think that the humans ever thought that Faunus would be able to afford those classes.'_ Getting down and dirty in the ring with a sparring partner was something that was much more her style. She needed to fight, to be challenged, to show the world that Sienna Khan broke people with sheer physical force and ideology!

Three hours later she emerged into the public, the bodyguards that she had been assigned for the public outing somewhat less intrusive, her personal assistant at her side. "Remember that the charity ball will be in three weeks. The White Fang counts on you." The words were rote and repeated frequently. _'I can kick someone's ass three ways into Sunday, yet I can't manage something simple as a dance... What a loser I am, hah.'_ As a leader, one was expected to be capable of much more than the average joe.

She would undoubtedly be standing at the sideline once again, with yet another excuse about not being able to make a dance due to strained muscles. _'They're going to think that I can't dance... which I genuinely can't. Those heels... ugh.'_

She sat herself down at a McSchnee, the menu in front of her something that she had known by heart. The business that catered to the masses was good enough for her. They did not care about one's species, but about the bucks that they'd be giving to the Schnee family. _'They'd be fucking poisoning the food if it'd help them earn a buck.'_

Looking at the selection of burgers, her mouth salivated. "Get me a McQuack and a large fries. You know which drink I like, right?" The assistant nodded, pulling her wallet out as she got up. The ordinary tasks that had to be completed were for her assistant to do, the seat opposite of her kept open, the table at which she sat located near the back. Good enough for some anonymity and to be able to eat in peace.

She heard a soft cough from her left side. "Is that seat taken?" A male voice asked, her head whipping up, as her eyes looked him over.

' _Blonde hair, hoodie with a lame bunny pattern on it, idealistic blue eyes that haven't seen a man bleed out, no overt Faunus scent... Human. Another filthy fucking human, no doubt intending to hit on me for a quick fuck of 'taming the tiger' or something to tell to his friends.'_ He looked doubtful though, his hesitation visible on his face.

"But if you don't want me to sit down, or whether you've got a friend coming back with your food, I can leave. There aren't any seats left, so I'll have to go and eat whilst standing." He seemed aware of the position, her eyes sliding over the crowd.

The tables and the seats were all full. Only in front of her there were two seats free, one slated for her assistant and the other...

She looked at his meal. Chicken nuggets in the shape of dinosaurs, fried with the fat of some animal. Ketchup that smelled like processed tomato jizz, with the scent of preservatives in it so thick that it nearly made her gag. A burger that was on the small side. "Sit your human ass down, boy." She said, deciding not to make a fuss about it.

' _Making a scene would just hurt the cause.'_ Her eyes looked him over as he set the plate down, her bodyguards moving a little, getting up. "Sir, I'm afraid that-" She held up a hand to stop the bodyguard from continuing. "Let him sit down. It's not like there are other spaces free and I suppose we must be magnanimous in our graces." The bodyguard sat down.

' _Why did I choose the diplomatic route?'_ She asked herself as she looked at him. A dopey smile was on his lips, warm and friendly and open. _'Fuck, he's looking at me as if I just gave him a puppy. No doubt imagining how it'd be feeling to have a good-looking woman like me in his smelly stinky human arms, imagining me naked already.'_

"You're a nice lady." He said, as he picked up one of the chicken nuggets and dipped it into the tomato ketchup. She could almost imagine it being the soul of a Faunus dipped in the molten pit of hatred that he would have for her kind."Thank you. It is merely what a polite and civilized person would do to another." Civility seemed to be the best course of action. Too many people who could record the 'great and mighty leader of the White Fang insulting some poor teen with a bad dress sense'. It would not hurt her cause to be polite. It'd be all over Scrolltube in an hour if she did.

He smiled at her, brilliant and guileless. Sienna's face showed none of her internal thought processes, as she tried to process that smile, running it through the filters of what she knew of human behaviour, the smile as broad as it could be as if it were something of an invitation to her. _'He can't be that stupid to not know what...'_

"So, eh... my name's Jaune, Jaune Arc. Sweet, short, rolls off the tongue, ladies love it or so dad said." She raised an eyebrow slowly, her eyes meeting his own with that stare of near-incredulity. _'Is he... hitting on me?'_

The thought of any human hitting on her for anything but a short encounter between the sheets was an incredulous things. Even with the glasses she wore and the rather nondescript outfit that she wore right now, she was still a Faunus woman. She lived and breathed the White Fang, as it was. "Are you really trying to pick me up?" She asked, her voice carrying an undertone of frost.

' _No doubt he is just practising his lines on some filthy faunus mutt. Doesn't he see the ears? Doesn't he know that we're like a disease to his kind, nothing but cheap labour or some easy thrills?'_ The anger inside her rose, about to erupt. "No, no! I was just... Just trying to make conversation. Mom said that strangers are friends that you just haven't met... oh, wait, eh... yeah, that's it. Strangers are friends that you haven't met yet."

' _What fantasy world is he living in?'_ Sienna asked herself, a dark cloud on her face as she looked at the gormless bastard that had just said something so naive to her that it almost physically hurt her. He was disarmingly smiling at her, like it was something that he knew was right. To smile at her, a faunus woman. Older than him by... what? Ten years?

"And you think that it is right to use a pick-up line on me? A Faunus?" He said, his face showing confusion. "It's a pick-up line? But dad... Dad said..." She groaned audibly. This boy was challenged, no doubt. "The name's Sienna. Sienna Khan."

A blank look on his face. Clearly he did not recognize it, even as she gave a laborious sigh. "Miss, your food." The woman said as she set the tray in front of her, the plastic tray with a burger for herself set at Jaune's side. The personal aide looked at Jaune as if he were something disgusting, her eyes carrying the frustration of the struggle against the Humans. "You're sitting here, human." The woman said in a snappy tone.

He looked up at her, cowed no doubt by the way that she had spoken. "I... I can leave." The chicken nugget half-submerged in the ketchup looked like a forlorn vestige of respect, drowning in the sea of hatred. "I was just... just trying to get to know Sienna here. She looks like a nice lady." The personal assistant opened her mouth, yet she forestalled that. "And what, does exactly, make me look like a nice lady?" She questioned.

Her tone had been sharper than before, her voice sounding more hostile, yet she could not help it. "No weapons on his form, Ma'am." One of her bodyguards whispered at a barely audible tone, her Faunus ears sharp enough to pick it out. "He seems harmless, yet we are ready to drop him if it is needed."

"Your eyes. You look like someone who loves what they do a lot. They just blaze with a... y'know, fire? If that's possible." She could not suppress the hint of being pleased from showing through, her ears twitching a little. "You look like a woman who's got it all together. A business lunch with your boss and two of your co-workers." The bodyguards seemed to stiffen a little, even as Sienna let her gaze switch between the two of them. "How interesting." She said neutrally.

"Well, I should get going. I've got a meeting to get to. I'm going to be a Huntsman."Sienna wasn't sure whether to take that as an out for him or not, his eyes looking guarded. _'It'll serve him right, dying by the hands of a Grimm... Such fools who can't even recognize a great leader when they see them...'_ "Have a very pleasant day, Mister Arc." She said, her voice containing no trace of her frustration or anger. He smiled at her. "Ah, do you happen to know where Maurice Pale's shop is?"

' _Forger of documents. Able to make copies of travel documents for cheap prices, non-discriminatory in nature. Unsure about his loyalties.'_ "Third street on the right corner of Vytal Promenade, look for a small shop with a blue signboard." She heard the bodyguard answer, giving him a questioning look. The brilliant smile on his lips was enough, as he seemed to have gained a brighter mood than before, if that was even possible. The tray he picked up and walked with towards one of the walls, leaning against it.

"It would be impolite if things had escalated." Sienna spoke, a difficult expression on her face as she did so. Her gaze remained on the young man, shaking her head slightly. "Humans... I'll never understand their curiosity or their foolishness." Her personal aide seemed to be conflicted moreso than she, even though the encounter with the young man was put out of mind nearly immediately as the food demanded her attention.

She pushed the thoughts of the human out of her mind immediately, focusing on the goodness that was salty fries and the burger. This was the life of someone who led one of the most influential organisations on the face of Remnant... Burgers and fries and all the calories burnt off before dinner with how much stress she'd be under.

The bar had been most hospitable to her kind, the bartender having been an old ally of the White Fang, his wife having been a member of the old guard of the White Fang. She could see that the seats were mostly filled up, the members of the public that were already there drinking paying no mind to yet another Faunus joining the crew. With her hand tapping the counter, she waited for the bartender to come, his greying hair tousled a little with the signs of gel starting to fade. The claws that tipped his fingers were the only trait that showed for him, his eyes meeting hers. "The usual, Si?" He inquired.

Her work ferried her between Mistral, Vacuo and Vale. Atlas was generally a no-go area for the White Fang due to the climate there being hostile to their kind, so she knew well the things she could expect. Four months of Vale with a bit of time in Mistral later on. _'I would love to be able to go home... but my duty calls.'_

"The usual, Mar." The man poured her the drink she preferred, the ice clinking in the glass, the heavy liquor that she smelled so strongly wafting from the glass, as he added some of the liqueur that gave it the special taste that she craved. Tipping it back in one go, she gave a soft whoop. _'Fucking humans with their alcohol tolerance being worse than shit.'_

There would be no getting shitfaced drunk for her, no sudden desire for her to throw her lunch up again. She could only feel the anger inside her burn, the pleasant fuzz of the fog of alcohol settling in bringing her to a point where she could just forget and be 'Sienna Khan, single woman', again.

Her bodyguards were sat in the bar, the members of the public allowed here mostly loyalists to the White Fang and their Faunus agenda. Her presence was welcome, yet not remarked upon. Any human reporter that would come close would find themselves barred. Drinking was not a way for her to forget… but to dull the ache that she felt.

Every night, she drank. The feeling of liquor going down was something that was just as great as an orgasm. _'And to think that Ghira was abstaining from all of this and still managed to lead the White Fang.'_ As the next shot slid down her gullet, she could feel the warmth seep in. It was the crutch that she needed to keep on going, to unwind a little from the stresses of the day.

As she stepped out of the bar, she caught sight of someone coming her way. Bodyguards pulled themselves into their combat mode, their eyes looking over the young man that came stumbling their way, her hand rising to stall them.

The hoodie was up, the blonde hair poking out, the eyes hollow in their gaze. She could see that he had been affected by something, even as she stepped into his path. He didn't even seem to notice, ploughing right into her, his larger form hitting her, and through the problem of alcohol, her balance was not enough to keep the two of them upright.

She hit the ground first, his weight on top of her. "Miss Khan?" The bodyguards hoisted him off her, her back feeling a little sore, even as the human realized what he had done. "Sienna? Ah, sorry! I wasn't paying attention to where I was walking." Her internal thoughts were pretty astute on that comment. _'Of course you weren't looking. None of the humans look at the Faunus as anything but mere bugs.'_

"It's alright." She said, even though it wasn't. He looked at her, the bodyguards still clamping their arms around his, restraining him. "Are you alright, though?"

She would live, her back having suffered worse collapses than that. It was just an additional bruise for the morning to take care of. "Yes, but you seem troubled." He looked haunted, as if his dream had burst like a bubble. The teenager's face seemed to twist in an expression that was both fear as well as failure, as he took a deep breath. "He wouldn't do the transcripts. Said it was because of being too close to the deadline for entry. I paid three hundred Lien for that… all to be ripped off." The way that he said it showed some anger, Sienna feeling an emotion well up inside her. Pride. The man had obviously taken the human's money and gotten away with it. The business that he was in wasn't exactly legal.

' _The human doesn't seem to know that his kind treats us like thieves and robbers no matter what. They treat their own kind like thieves would, taking all that they have in order to get ahead.'_ The way that he looked, so pathetic and weak, was amusing to her. "What will you do now, little human huntsman?" She asked, as he looked at her. "I wanted to enter Beacon, y'know… Be a hero, save the damsel, return home a victor." The hope in his voice seemed to fade slowly.

"Now… I don't know." She felt pity well up inside her. _'This isn't how you should feel. He's just a human, he's the scum of the earth.'_ "How would you like it if I got you into Beacon?" She inquired, the hopeful look on his face something that she would have loved to see from anyone but a Human teenager. It seemed so trusting, so silly… so… hopeful.

"You can do that?" He asked, moving forward, yet the bodyguards restrained him. _'I damn well can do that. It's not like the signature of Sienna Khan, High Leader of the White Fang is worth nothing. If I say 'Yay', they'll have to make an exception…'_ A look of cunning came to her face. "How about we go and retire to my office?"

' _Someone ought to be around still… and the paperwork for Beacon isn't that hard to get a hold of. Plenty of initiates come from Beacon Academy, after all. A signature here and there to add legitimacy to it… a bit of fraud with the dates and the like and well… if pressed, I could just say that I signed it in order to get rid of another human in the deathtrap that is Beacon Academy.'_ Her eyes looked him over, the hopeful look in his eyes morphing into something else.

Eyes looking at her always looked at her body. Her whole form, petite and slim and womanly in the right aspects, chaste in the manner that a leader should be… yet a subject of crappily edited pictures of her face on some model with big breasts and a loose vagina.

There was care in those eyes, something that she did not expect. "You'd do that for me, now?" He asked again, her head nodding. "Get the car. We're getting this human into Beacon."

As she sat in the office at three in the morning, finishing up the final scrawl on the paper, she let out a long sigh. The work had been a bit tougher than she expected, with several of the stamps having to be requisitioned from the archives. _'Whoever made vetting huntsmen so difficult? It's like they want to save human lives or something.'_

"Jaune Arc, seventeen, trained privately. Signed by Sienna Khan." She said, the form perfectly filled out. She turned it to face him, a pen in her other hand. "Please sign here, for legitimacy." She didn't make a copy. Copies got you busted for fraud much easier than just the paper version. His messy handwriting made for a barely passable signature.

"So… What do I owe you? I mean, you can't be doing that out of the goodness of your heart, right?" She looked at the calendar on her Scroll, checking the date for the admission to Beacon and then the appointments that she had. "A favour. To be collected at a later date." She nodded.

Her eyes fell onto the documents for the gala that had been organized to be held as a goodwill thing towards the filthy humans and their machines and murder-tools. Dancing would be a requirement, yet…

"Do you dance?" She inquired, as she kept her eyes on the date. Three weeks would be a little short to learn how to dance but she was not going to squander a chance if this boy knew how to dance well.

"Yeah? I mean, I had to learn. My sisters were really fond of dancing." Sienna ruminated on that bit of information. _'Dance instructor is a job that a Faunus would not usually get into. It takes years of training to be able to coach someone in how to do a dance. This might be a good way to get more out of that favour than just a mere bit of pity for a kid who's down on his luck.'_

She would blame the alcohol in the morning for altering her decision-making skills, but her eyes flared with amusement. "Teach me how to dance and owe me a favour and I'll hand you these papers, Jaune Arc."

' _What can a silly little human teenager do against the might of the White Fang, led by me?'_

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 **Just something I wrote to distract a bit from A Grimm Tale. I hope you've enjoyed it… and there may be a next chapter coming too. The Sienna X Jaune part is going to be a tough one to write, but it'll be interesting at least. She's a very opinionated person with her own worries in this universe. Annnd she is pretty awesome in the Adam short that was released today. A chain weapon, eh? Guess I was pretty on the mark with the weaponry. Reminds me a bit of Blake's Gambol Shroud, so I guess that she's combined Adam's weapon and Sienna's weapon, if she looked up to them for a while. The relationship between Jaune and Sienna won't be picking up swiftly, though. She's rather opposed to humans, yet does not deny that they have their uses. Al**

 **Leave a review if you've enjoyed reading the story!**


	2. First Steps

**Chapter 2: First Steps.**

 **People seem to LIKE this! Wooh!**

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She opened her eyes, realizing that her alarm clock had been beeping. Groaning as she smacked the snooze button, she got herself out of bed groggily, flipping the switch to shut the alert off before it would blare and make her more awake.

' _What time is it?'_

Her eyes went for the clock, seeing that it was nearly ten. _'Five hours of sleep. Doable, if I need to crunch down a little.'_ She could not stop the yawn from coming from her mouth, her assistant standing at the ready in the kitchen with a freshly brewed cup of coffee, the caffeinated brew bringing her greater clarity, her hand scratching over her side. "Your appointments for today, Miss Khan." The assistant set the schedule in front of her, her eyes going over the names that had been in attendance. Her bodyguards would know where to go, mostly.

"The faculty at Beacon called earlier, wishing to inquire about an application made that you apparently signed for?" The surprise in her assistant's voice was clearly something that she hadn't counted on. _'When did I do that?'_

The memory of the late-night session with the paperwork came to the front of her mind, as she grabbed one of the bagels that her assistant had brought for her, slowly munching on it whilst her mind went to the calculations of actually getting those things arranged. _'A good price for that would be… what? 400 Lien for the paperwork done? Not a bad choice for something like that. Dancing lessons would cost more than that.'_ The prices for those wishing to dance were something around 30 Lien an hour. Ten hours of dancing… well, that was a little pricey if one had to learn how to.

' _A good bargain, someone who can teach me… and someone who'll be gone and dead after initiation, if I calculated his skill well enough.'_ She smiled savagely, her bagel chomped in half. "Miss Khan?" Her assistant asked again., "I signed off on that." She said, taking another sip of her coffee.

' _We are NOT animals.'_ Her eyes twinkled, her assistant looking at her with eyes that seemed to pry at her for more information, to divulge the secrets that had been kept hidden. _'Plus… I was a little tipsy when I signed those papers.'_ She smiled softly. "The young man who we met at the McSchnee, he got ripped off. What better way to ensure that his dream of gloriously dying for a doomed cause is ensured, right?"

Her assistant was not sure whether she was joking or not, the headache starting up now, as she sipped more of the coffee. Awareness brought with it the hangover, her whole body throbbing with the pain of her head being wrapped in barbed wire. "Professor Ozpin would like you to call him about your signature." The words were reasonable, yet she dismissed it easily.

' _Obviously, the human would want to verify whether it is my genuine signature.'_ The thought of that being the case was something that she had anticipated beforehand. Some inquiry was to be expected. "I'll give him a call."

It would be needed anyway. One of the people who were invited to the gala was the headmaster of Beacon, with his status as one of the Headmasters of the Huntsman institutions he would scarcely be thought of as anything else than a VIP.

She pulled her business Scroll out of the cover, dialling the number that the Headmaster had given for official communication. The waiting tune was a few soft chords from the Vacuan Opera, the piano chords soft, even as the Headmaster answered. "Good morning, Miss Khan." The man's tone was business-like, warm and friendly.

' _As if he really means well for the Faunus… His school has caused more deaths that could have been prevented… The Faunus never will reach acceptance if they are forced into the death camp that is Beacon Academy.'_

She did not feel regret, even as she schooled her face in the neutral expression. "You wished to talk to me, Headmaster?" The man's eyes met hers, the glasses on the bridge of his nose looking sharp in the image of the Scroll, a sternness of his face showing clearly his feelings on the subject of this business.

"I have gotten an application that was signed with your signature, Miss Khan." The man's tone was neutral, yet she could detect the aggression that he had against Faunus. _'No Faunus on staff… None on the books at least. All applicants are personally screened by the Headmaster, unless they get transcripts…'_

The list of Ozpin's crimes against Faunuskind could go on, yet this was not the time. "Would you care to elaborate?" The man's voice was neutral, perhaps a tinge warm to her ears, yet her eyes were sharp and fierce. She would not fall for his lies of 'peace and tolerance' in the slightest.

"I signed it because he needed a sponsor." The professor's eyebrows rose, his lips pressed tightly together. "I… see." The look on his face changed slightly, a thoughtful expression on his human face for a moment. _'He's thinking about how to hold this over me.'_

"I am pleased to see that you have come to at least be willing to extend a hand towards a young man in need. Beacon Academy is an elite school, so we will not be lax in our standards." The man's hypocrisy was telling, as she knew of the deaths that were caused by his hands over the years. Many of the people who had survived the deathtrap that was Beacon Academy, would hardly speak ill of the man's skills, yet she knew better.

"What are we if not here to serve our people?" The official line of dialogue was about cooperation from the White Fang towards the humans, though several people subscribed to her more hardline interpretation of the rule through fear kind. The man's hands pulled something up to the screen. The face of Jaune Arc stared back at her, her mind immediately thinking back to how he would teach her how to dance. "I will see you in three weeks, Miss Khan." The man said, as he seemed to put the file down once more, his face looking as responsible as a man could. "Thank you for giving humanity a chance. We are all in this world to fight against the Grimm, after all."

' _I can't care a single Lien for your platitudes, Ozpin. Your whole race has suppressed us for too long, with your stinking cologne and your brutal stripping of the hopes of innocent Faunus!'_ She did not show her frustration outwardly, her eyes sparking dangerously, even as the headmaster's head bobbed once as he acknowledged her. "Have a very good day, Miss Khan." The man waited for her response, yet she merely sighed. "Goodbye, Headmaster Ozpin." The Scroll disconnected the call immediately, allowing her the peacefulness of her morning once more.

"Are you sure that you did the right thing?" She heard her assistant ask, even as she threw her head back and looked at the ceiling, exhaling slowly. _'I wouldn't want to shame the Faunus by being some rube who was unable to dance.'_

The benefit outweighed the issues that it would cause. "I am sure." He was just a human boy, willing to die for his dream. What harm could it be if he was let to go to kill himself in some stupidly heroic fashion at Beacon. She pulled her other, personal Scroll out of its case, looking through the messages that had appeared on it.

' **We'll be in Vale in two weeks! I look forward to seeing you again! Have you found a cute boy to date yet? Love, Kali!'**

The words stood on the screen, yet her irritation flared once more. _'That damn nosy woman, always trying to get me to open up about my dating life. Is it really that bad that I haven't had a date in over… four years?'_

The realization that it had indeed been over four years now that she had last been out on a date was something that she could only carry with her. Her eyes fell onto the new contact that had been added during that sleep-deprived state, the name ' **Jaune Arc'** boldly peering back at her.

' **I look forward to meeting with you and Ghira, Kali. I have been eagerly awaiting your presence once more.'** That would assuage the nosy cat from prying too much into her private business. It was none of Kali's business who she slept with or who she dated.

' _It would be nice to have a chat with her, though. It gets… It gets a little lonely sometimes.'_ Her assistant was one of the pillars that held her up during the negotiations with the other factions of the world, the Valean council having some strident remarks to be made about the Faunus presence within their borders, which had to be deterred by the official legislation that had been instituted by the late King of Vale.

She could count her friends on one hand. Kali and Ghira Belladonna, Adam Taurus… Even Blake Belladonna, if the girl could be found again. _'Wherever she has went… I hope you're safe, little one.'_ The fact that she was around twelve years older than the young daughter of the Belladonna's had been instrumental in the forging of at least some connection.

' _Adam was moping about how his darling had abandoned the cause… perhaps she has simply gone away for a while. I remember her doing that from time to time in order to clear her head. Ghira... well, she certainly takes after her father more than after her mother.'_

She could feel the tension inside her shoulders increase. "Schedule for today?" She asked. Her assistant rattled off some of the charitable goals that they would have to visit, in order to get more donations for the cause. It would be something that would require her best performance as High Leader, so it was definitely something that she would have to prepare for.

"Slot in the evening off." Her fingers tapped onto the keyboard of her Scroll, sending a message to her dancing coach. _'The boy better be able to dance or I'll tan his hide.'_

' **Tonight, you will teach me.'** The words were short, to the point and business-like. It wasn't like she was actually trying to keep up the pretence of civility for him. He was just a human, after all. Humans didn't deserve to breathe the same air as the Faunus.

She saw the typing icon appear below his name, the message obviously having been received. She set the Scroll down and drank some more coffee, the heated brew making her insides feel warmer, allowing her to briefly forget about the headache that was consuming her mind with the pain of bad regrets. _'But I'll be suffering it all over again in the morning.'_

' **Thank you so much, Sienna! Eh, at what time do you want me to come? Do you want me to go to your office, or will your boss have any complaints about you staying at the office for too long? She looked like a really strict lady.'** The snort of amusement that she gave drew the attention of her assistant, the car ride that they were currently enduring in silence broken, as the message blinked on the screen.

"Is something amusing you, Miss Khan?" Sienna looked at the screen of her Scroll, shaking her head a little. _'As if the leader of the White Fang would ever have a superior… But I guess he's just a simple human, unable to recognize one of the_ _ **true**_ _fighters for Faunus equality._ '

"Just a message from our little blonde rat." The response was easy, as she looked at the message another time. "Our… little blonde rat?" She heard her assistant inquire, yet she knew her assistant well enough to immediately offer more information. "The human. Blonde, tall, looked like an idiot moron with his stench…"

The assistant gave a low 'Oh' in response, her gaze looking at her with an expression that seemed to be torn between disapproval and faint puzzlement. "Why exactly are you exchanging messages with him?"

' _She's thinking that I've gone soft on those filthy mongrels…'_ Sienna smiled in her 'hungry tiger' manner, her fingers tracing through her hair. "The charity gala is up in three weeks. I have decided to grant some poor misunderstood blonde yokel the chance to go to Beacon Academy… And get dancing lessons in return."

The look on her assistant's face was disapproving, her mouth opening. "Miss Khan, I am sure that-"Sienna held up a hand, silencing her assistant's words. "You may be present whilst he instructs. I am sure that I can at least glean something from his educative efforts… And otherwise, we shall see him removed."

' _I am Sienna Khan. I lead the White Fang. A thousand people, rising up to bear their arms and fangs against this cruel world that is dominated by humans. Who would dare to challenge my supremacy?'_ The thought was ludicrous that some untrained huntsman trainee could do something like that to her. Her Aura was like a warm sheath around her body, burning brightly during the cold nights, the headache she got from drinking hardly going away, yet she knew that she could fight.

"Have we prepared a practice space?" She questioned her assistant nearly four hours later, the burning in her muscles not enough for her yet, her assistant, whose attention was fully dedicated towards the schedule she had in hands. "Brother Milk's gym has been made available for your use, High Leader. I have taken the liberty of preparing your exercise clothing for the preparation."

' _Good. A place that caters to the Faunus. Solid ground with supporters and an ease of access that wouldn't make it look too out of place.'_ She hummed to herself as she got out of the car, her body smelling faintly of the sweat of exercise, as she darted into her apartment for a quick shower. To comply with the standards of hygiene, she always made sure to shower as quickly as she could, without the additional hassle of getting into a place where the bodyguards would have to move to in order to protect her.

' **Meet me at Milk's Gym, 50 Orange Street. 20:00. Be on time.'** The message was sent whilst she was in the car, already made up for the next meeting. Her gaze went towards the clock tower that was visible in the distance, the time being four in the afternoon. Her lips curled in a soft smirk. "We're getting takeout tonight." She announced, her assistant nodding at that. "And I'll get some exercise in at the gym too."

A fit body was a fit mind. A fit mind was one that was dedicated to the cause. Some extra exercise beforehand in order to loosen up the muscles would be preferable. _'The least I can do is to show off some of my body's prowess before the little human comes with some inane idea.'_

She was a good-looking woman, with a great smile (even if she said so herself) and more than worthy prospects. Her heart had been untamed and wild for as long as she had been on her own, dedicated to the protection of the Faunus as a whole, to be respected through the fear that their presence would create in humans.

At seven in the evening, she arrived at her destination. Her bodyguards fell in line behind her, as was the standard protocol. The run-down gym that stood in the row of houses in one of the poorer areas of Vale was a place where she had been a few times beforehand, in order to get the exercise out of the way. Most of the clientele was Faunus, though Brother Milk did not discriminate. If any human would wish a gym membership, they were free to. _'Milking the system of humans for all that it was worth.'_

She walked into the women's changing room, her eyes catching the gaze of a young Faunus woman with a set of floppy dog ears, their gazes meeting for a moment. "You're new to the place? Hi!" The excitable tone of the woman's voice was something that Sienna could appreciate. She smiled softly at the woman, feeling the sensation of comfort surge inside her. Her assistant set the gym bag beside her, looking the other woman over. "Hello. I'm here to get fit again." The woman nodded, her head bobbing enthusiastically. "This really big famous person is apparently coming here in about an hour. I heard it might be Sienna Khan herself."

Sienna did not preen, as she slowly slid her top off, enjoying the briefness of freedom that she enjoyed. "Oh?" She asked, as she reached into her gym bag. Her assistant had packaged her clothing, so she knew exactly where to get her clothes from, the dark green top and the black shorts fitting her perfectly. "I don't think the High Leader would be so easily found in a gym like this." She smiled, even as she adjusted the glasses on her nose. "You look a little like her. Same tattoos, but you wear glasses."

' _That's the plan, actually. Nobody would expect Sienna Khan, a member of a species which has perfect eyesight, to wear glasses. It would be something out of a delirious dream to remember.'_ She knew that with a few changes to her style, she would easily be able to pass as 'someone who resembled Sienna Khan' on the surface level. "High Leader Khan is a marvellous woman." Sienna said, her smile real and warm. "We should aspire to be like her." The woman nodded.

"The White Fang's real popular around these parts, these days. I'm going to see whether I can join up!" Sienna looked at her assistant, who was in the process of tucking the gun away in her waistband, ready to dress her body appropriately. The best thing about bodyguards was that they tried to dress the part of civilians whilst protecting their clients. As the other woman left the dressing room, Sienna allowed herself a moment of rest before opening the door, the need to get some steam worked up for the dancing lesson she was about to experience there.

Sienna's hand brushed over her forehead nearly fifty minutes later, the punching bag in front of her swaying slightly, her legs feeling sore and needy for a break, the kicks that she had delivered to the sandbag having swayed it back and forth, her whole body lit up with that nervous energy that seemed to fill her body. _'You're Sienna Khan, you can control yourself. No need to feel nervous, it's just a stupid human boy with dreams of heroics that'll be teaching you to move like a dancer and how to dance, and then you can just let him gallivant off towards the death he so craves.'_

She turned her head as she heard the door opening, the sight of the young man standing there in the door opening looking like he had just been washed up. His bag was slung over his shoulder, his eyes looking far more determined. "What're you up to, human?" The owner of the Gym, Eustace Milk, asked, Jaune's head swirling to the man. "Ah, sir? I'm looking for Sienna, if you'd like to-"

Sienna prowled towards him, her eyes bright and the grin on her face somewhat more wicked than she'd originally intended. _'You're going about this the wrong way, if you just bluntly state your purpose like this…'_

"Jaune." She snapped, his attention turning to her immediately, like a good obedient little human runt, fit for the exterminator to wipe out. "You're here. Get dressed." The snappy commands were just her style, her anger showing through in her voice, yet she merely felt annoyed at him trying to make a scene.

The owner of the gym looked between the two of them, nodding to Jaune. "First door on the right. Enjoy your stay." The man said mechanically, as he turned to look at her with a questioning look. _'Explanations are in order, I presume.'_

"I didn't know whether you'd wanted me to be on time or not, so I came a little early. I took the liberty of finding some music that is good to start out with. My sisters always said that to start with the beginnings is one of the best things to do when teaching someone about the dancing, so-" She growled out loud. "Shut up and get yourself properly dressed, boy." She snarled at him, his face showing some surprise at the tone that she took, yet quickly recovered. "Ah, I must be late then. Sorry, it won't happen again. " He departed for the men's changing room with a hurry, the bag on his shoulder looking like a ratty example that'd seen much use.

"I found a dance instructor. Wants to be a hero, go to Beacon…" She shrugged, the gym owner looking at her with a disbelieving look. "You can't be serious…" The man said, her eyes narrowing as her gaze turned fiercer.

' _How badly do people doubt my judgment, if they respond like that? I am Sienna Khan! I am always serious!'_ "Can you find me a Faunus dance instructor at such short notice?" She growled, the gym owner's face showing his distaste for the question, the unspoken difference clear. Clearly, there would be none to be found.

"I didn't think so. This is for the good of our public image. Imagine, a Faunus able to dance like the humans can..." The words were so easy, as she was in command. The man's mouth shut with a clack, his eyes looking at her with a newfound respect, somehow obtained by her curt handling of the human. "Miss Kh-" She cleared her throat. "Just call me Miss." The man nodded.

"Would you be requiring the entirety of the room upstairs?" The man inquired, even as she looked at the staircase leading upwards. Most of the Yoga classes were given upstairs, she'd been told by her assistant, with the schedule predetermined by the man months beforehand. "I would. Do you think you can reschedule any classes for a few weeks?" The man would do as she asked, she knew. The dedication to the cause within the man was not small.

' _With such fervour and such devotion, it would be hard not to have this world grovelling at our feet.'_ She smirked, her eyes glinting. "Thank you." The man nodded. "Of course, Miss. We live for the cause."

"Sienna?" The human's voice came from behind her, her eyes looking over the young man's delicate features, the hair cut in a style that looked like someone had taken his mother's scissors and made do with that in order to practice hairdressing. Her eyes looked him over, the clothing that he wore being fairly loose and showing very little in the way of definition.

' _If this were a fairytale, I'd be the blushing maiden, falling into his arms and without a fault, hope that my dancing would tear the stars down... Urgh.'_ Her eyes were suspicious, even as he extended a hand, palm facing upward. "May I have this dance from you, Miss?"

She would've gagged at the sweetness of the gesture as well as its stale romanticism but managed to suppress it. Her eyes were sharp and fierce as she looked at the young man who had his hand extended to hers and did not take it. "You may. We're going to the first floor in order to have the space to ourselves."

The space upstairs wasn't much to really move around in. A good ten people could fit in it, yet it was just the two of them. He looked at the speakers that had been hooked up to a sound system with a look that screamed inability to work with it. "Eh…" He started, her voice snappy. "What's the matter?"

He coughed, embarrassed for some reason. "I don't know how to work with this." She looked at the old system, the way that it had been arranged at the side of the room something that she knew rather well. _'No doubt some rich boy who's been treated to the good parts in life all his life, without ever knowing the suffering of working with technology that just isn't current anymore.'_ "Give me the disks." She growled, pulling the bag from his hands.

She could smell the scent of sweat and oil on him, mingling with his own putrid scent of human. How men could smell like that was just beyond her, with her own scent something perfect… But that was human evolution for you. They stayed monkeys, instead of evolving into the grand form of the Faunus. Looking through the bag and hearing with her accurate ears the tread of her bodyguards coming up the stairs, she allowed herself a moment as the door opened up and the two men came inside. "Ah, I'm afraid that I'm giving private instruction here, at this time." The blonde human's voice sounded like he was apologizing for his gaffe, with his dorky look making it look like he genuinely was interested in teaching her.

"We're here for her protection." One of her bodyguards said, his voice loud in the suddenly silent room. Jaune looked at her for a moment, his eyes deep and thoughtful before he shrugged. "Alright, alright. I guess you must be someone famous then. Does your boss have to go through this as well?"

' _What an idiot! How does he manage to remain so ignorant of just what the White Fang is… Does he even watch the news?'_ She cleared her throat. "Come on, human. Get your ass into gear. I want to have this thing over with before I die of boredom." He snapped back to his regular state, seemingly dismissing the presence of her bodyguards from his mind, as she fiddled with the disk drive, pushing the disk into the drive. _'Kids these days just go 'Oh, I can put it in the scanner, it'll surely work!', as if Faunus have these advantages!'_

A rousing sonata came from the musical speakers, her fingers twisting the knob so that it would be a little quieter. He smiled at her in what was supposed to be an encouraging manner, yet his human features just made him look even more like a degenerate monkey than he already looked. "This is one of the first musical numbers that I was taught how to dance on. It's got some history behind it, being one of the fi-"

She snapped irritatedly at him. "Shut up and teach." She growled, which he seemed to take in stride. _'How dare he patronize me! I'm a woman! I'm a Faunus! I am a thousand times better than him!'_ "Of course, I was just telling something about my own experiences. Now… Take this pose." She saw him stand there, his arms spread, as if wrapped around someone who stood there.

He looked like an idiot to her eyes, enough to bring a grin to her face, as she mimicked his pose. Without caring, she slipped into the position that he had indicated, his strides forward bringing him closer. The cologne that he used was heavier as she inhaled it, his hands adjusting hers. _'He's got big hands… Not really a bad thing. They're good with gripping.'_ "There, there…" He said, patronizingly once more, as if she were just a woman with little in the way of thought than 'This is a man who's telling me what to do, I should obey!'.

Her eyes blazed. "What's the use of this?" She growled at him, her voice sounding pressed, even as his arms carefully held her. "The starting pose for one of the dances that I'm going to teach you." He said, as if that explained everything, her eyes looking up at him, as he began to move slowly. "Approach. Take a step. Disengage. Step back." His voice was stricter as he told her what to do.

She had to give him the credit that he was incredibly good with his feet, even as she stumbled a little through the dance, his steps slower than they would be, as he had explained. The steps were a short measured pace, his eyes smiling at her as she had done them correctly. _'Dancing is a little different from fighting… but there are some similarities.'_

She would have to grudgingly admit that he made for a decent teacher, in the field of dancing. As she stood in front of him nearly three hours later, she could feel the burn in her calves and ankles even worse than before. "That's it for the first dance, for today. You'll be… eh?" He seemed lost for a moment. "What sort of party is it?"

' _Oh, right… I haven't told the human moron about what sort of event it would be.'_ She normally was more astute than that, but her anger had clearly influenced her way of thinking. "A formal gala. It is a charity gala, in order to raise more money for the destitute Faunus children in Mistral." _'With how the humans package it, it'll undoubtedly mean that there'll be more attention given to those 'poor human babies' than any real Faunus babies. We're always the last kind to be adopted.'_

He smiled at her broadly. "I knew you were a good person, Sienna." The words took her by surprise, as she blinked once. _'What?'_ The expression told it all. From the way that she'd hissed at him to keep his hands to himself for the first time that they'd moved together in a dance to the expression that now showed on her face, it had all been a whirl of emotions that she should not feel, that she should not humanize him too much because he was, after all, a human.

"You looked like someone who was really passionate about something yesterday. You helped me out when I needed it and you did it with…" He seemed lost for words, as her eyes met his own. Anger flared inside her again, the compliment not being one that she would like to hear coming from him. "Just do your job." She hissed, his face falling a little. "Sure. Same time tomorrow? What sorts of music will be played at the gala?"

' _He really doesn't have any ulterior motives? No, Sienna... this is a seventeen year old. He'll have some motivation towards getting his hands on you. Teens are always a horny bunch.'_ The suspicious change in her thoughts was suspicious enough, as she could smell the sweat on his skin, the way that his clothing had been mussed with that rank odour of a man, in such close proximity to her own sovereign self…

She would be the last to admit that the closeness had made her feel a little bit of a tingle. A tingle that seemed to have brought perhaps a warmth and a dearth of something inside her to the fore. _'A filthy human, perhaps evoking compassion within me? Perish the thought…Undoubtedly he'll be congratulating himself on his good job of managing to lay hands on a sexy and skilled woman like myself.'_

Her gaze followed her line of thoughts, studying the front of his gym shorts, trying to find some sort of sign that he had been affected by her glorious presence, her nostrils flaring as she inhaled deeply and found… nothing. _'This is odd. There should be pheromones in the air. Am I... wrong?'_ Her eyes looked up at him, the position that she had, smaller than him in stature and yet, more powerful in strength, something that some human would deem to be 'suitably humble', or some other form. "I'll make an inquiry." He smiled at her.

Her heart beat a little faster. His blue eyes were so guileless; as if there was happiness gained by her manner of dismissiveness. _'This guy... He seems happy that I'm willing to do him a favour.'_

"I hope to see you tomorrow then. Do you…" He seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if he was uncertain of her response. _'Now comes the little Tajitu out of its hiding hole… He'll make a suggestion, we'll get drunk, and before I know it, there'll be pictures all over Scrollhub.'_ The public image of the White Fang she would preserve with dignity and grace, even if the world did not think of it that way.

"Do you have a dress to wear? I'm pretty decent with my sewing, so if you need someone to do some tailoring for you… I mean, it's really not a big deal, if you get me the fabric, I can make you something." Her eyes blazed at him.

' _I KNEW IT! He's just after my sizes, so he can imagine it! All men are perverts!'_ The angry scowl on her face must have informed him of her thoughts, as she looked into his eyes, his hands up as if to ward off an attack. _'A weak little blonde boy with a crush for heroics… Fucking cut me a break…'_

"I will not be requiring your tailoring skills, Boy." The look on his face fell as her snappy and curt tone was laced with her anger and frustration. "It is a fancy gala, so I obviously have something prepared."

The dress that she had in her closet would be enough. Nothing for the boy to get excited about, in the slightest. He would just be another human who she could forget about later on, when his dead body was carted off from Beacon and his family cursed their ill fortune of their son dying due to some creepy Grimm that'd taken his head off, or whatever those creepy crawlies did.

"Ah, yeah. I knew that. I knew that, yep." The false confidence that he had seemed to be a trait that he seemed not to be too knowledgeable about, her eyes peering at him with disgust in them. "Of course you did, boy." She said with a snappy tone, even as she exhaled slowly. "Just… get out of my sight. I'll see you again tomorrow for my lessons."

She got into bed early that night, her body curling up in the comfortable sheets, her eyes closed as she let herself drift away on dreams, the music of the dancing lesson drifting through her mind. Her blonde partner's face appeared to her dreams, as he guided her through the steps.

' _As if I have any need of a human to take the reins of MY life. Undoubtedly, he has never heard of the name of Sienna Khan… so it will be my duty to educate him on the folly of crossing the White Fang!'_

* * *

 **Sienna is... interesting. She's got herself wrapped up in her own distaste for humans, so she isn't the most accurate judge of someone's character. Jaune, in contrast, is too trusting of those other than him.**

 **Yeah, I updated with the previous version of this chapter eh... about 8 hours ago. I should really have looked at the file time when I uploaded it, but it was 2 in the morning-ish for me and rational thought beyond 'Damn it, I'm late!' wasn't really a good thing for me. So, here you have it!**

 **Leave a review if you've liked it!**


	3. First Movement

**Chapter 3: First movement**

 **It's a good exercise to write something different and lighter than A Grimm Tale. This is a good thing, because with A Grimm Tale I have to accurately keep count of where the plot is and what plots feature, whilst with this… it's just a bit more lax in the standards that I keep. (and it's usually around 5000 words-ish.) Sienna is a delight to write at times, though.**

* * *

The clock beeped twice, as she crawled out of her comfy nest of sheets that'd kept her warm during the night, her eyes looking at the green display on her Scroll, readily showing the alarm already rearing up for the first belt of the music that she had programmed it to play when needed. Her mind was a little fogged up, as she groped for her Scroll, pulling it to her and sliding the notifications away, the messages that had arrived during the night appearing in her mailbox, the requests for personnel and other enforcement aides slid to the place where she could deal with it at a later point in time.

The organization could wait until she'd had a cup of coffee and something to eat. Her personal assistant was gone, knowing well that this day would be the day off for her, as was dictated in the contract that the assistant had signed beforehand. _'Even the best of people need a day off or two.'_ Her own duties did not end, though. She knew well that there would be even more preparation in her future, her calf muscles aching a little, her eyes going to her legs, noticing that a shave might be overdue by now. _'Gotta take care of that… Can't look like some escaped cave Faunus or something…'_

The public appearances of Sienna Khan were strictly regulated, in order to both safeguard her as well as ensure that there would be only positive information spread to the Faunus about what the White Fang was doing for them. _'A people, unified in their nature, to be brought to control the world… To show the humans what they have unleashed…'_

Her eyes caught a message from the young man who had started to instruct her in the art of dancing, his feet having dragged her along. **'Are you free tonight? I would like to go over another dance with you if you have the time. If you're busy, that's okay. You're someone important, right?'** She was… actually getting a little used to his manner. He obviously had little in the way of contact with women that were not family, the youngest son of eight, if she could believe his stories about being the youngest, the tales that he told of his older sisters, all being some sort of superior huntsman material. _'Obviously, that is a bit of a stretch. A single family cannot produce so many excellent Huntsmen, they would have to be nourished from birth… and he certainly does not seem to have been nourished at all.'_

His clumsy manner was not something that she cared for much, even with his stumbling being completely absent whilst he was teaching her how to dance. The steps that she had to do whilst under his guidance were easy to remember, the rhythm of the music enough that she could almost…

Her feet moved through the pattern, her bare soles patting the ground, even as she moved. _'Not the time to dance, Sienna… You have things to do.'_ The breakfast that she picked was some cereal with milk and a cup of coffee to get the world working again, the thoughts of her dance lessons and its instructor appearing to her mind. _'A fool who wishes to become a Huntsman…'_

She thought for a moment about giving him some practical fighting tips, yet she dismissed it immediately. _'Why should I help a human to become a better killer of poor Faunus? Undoubtedly he is messing with me, trying to feel me out.'_ The way that he had stumbled a little when she inquired about his relationships with women, an idle curiosity that had only sprung up during one of the moments when she was resting, the crimson cheeks on his face actually making him look somewhat cute to her eyes… well, it was a little endearing to see a man stumble right over his feet and fall flat on his face. A human, of course, would not have the agility and balance that a true-born Faunus would have. _'If I could…'_ The thought of actually doing something with the human in the manner of a woman with a man had been a VERY odd thought, her whole preferences to men going mostly for the type that was taller than her, with a set of very prominent Faunus features. _'Adam is a cutie, though… If he'd take off that mask a bit more often.'_

The Belladonna family had been invited to the Gala as well, the elder members of the family at least. Ghira and Kali Belladonna would be invited as ambassadors of Menagerie. The chances that Kali would distract her at least from dancing were great, the woman always had something to talk to her about. _'I wonder what would happen if I were to…'_

It wouldn't be the first time that she had gotten dragged along by Kali to something that she'd initially not wanted, but had enjoyed afterwards. It was the consolidation of the affection that she felt for Kali, as a friend and companion during the times when the White Fang had still been on the road, so to speak.

' **I'll make time tonight. Just get to the gym. Entertain yourself whilst you are there.'** The human boy was so easy to lead along, even as she settled in at her work desk at home, drafting a few messages that would find their way down the chain of command, filing the details with the main office back in Mistral, where the majority of their power was accumulated. _'Travelling from Mistral to Vale and from Vale to Vacuo takes too long…'_

She pushed the button on the sound system, the musical accompaniment blasting from the speakers, the tune of the music as beautiful as she could imagine, the steps echoing in her mind. _'Your fate will be death, little human…'_ The face of the young man came to her mind, with the lessons that she had gained from him still echoing. _'A huntsman… Who would want to be such a thing that can get you killed by some dark creature that drools venom and howls of evil?'_

As she heard her doorbell ring, she got up, walking to the front door. She looked through the peephole in the door, checking the identity of the one on the other end, the young man standing there dressed in a long black coat looking to be a little on edge, even as she pulled the door open for him. "Adam!" She greeted him, his charismatic smile fitting on his lips, his eyes hidden behind sunglasses. _'I wonder why he doesn't show them more often… Ever since Blake left us, it has been 'sunglasses this, mask that.', as if he's waiting for her to return to him.'_

The precise circumstances she did not know, yet speaking Blake's name near the young leader of the White Fang's Vale division would surely rouse his ire. _'Come on, you can manage a bit of a casual interaction with a young man who's helped the cause so much.'_ He stood there in the door opening for a moment longer until she stepped aside to let him in. "It has been a week. How have you been?"

The question was not wrong to be asked, as Adam had a habit of going off the grid for days on end, without any sort of forewarning, returning with a bounty of spoils eventually to enrich the coffers of the White Fang. Monetary donations weren't enough to keep the organization afloat, even with the support of the people behind them and their cause. _'As long as the proceeds go to us, we don't care where the loot comes from.'_ A dubious decision, yet one that she would make. "High Leader." He said, respectfully, hand touching his left breast, as he bowed before her.

"I have come with one of the progress reports for our Vale operation."The man's words were simple and concise, as he seated himself in one of her chairs, her business mode switching on, as she compiled what she knew of the man's plans. _'Engaging with some of the criminal element in order to seize the Dust that we need, as well as allowing for the formation of something of a power base in the case that we need to use force.'_ The man's fingers drummed lightly on her kitchen table, as she took a slow breath, her eyes sliding over the weapons that he had laid beside him. "Have you made any significant progress?"

He nodded, outlining several of his plans for the assumption of dominance in a special region in the docks, something off the books that would allow them superiority. The musical notes of the music she was playing hid their conversation admirably, as the thrumming of snares and the beat of drums overpowered the natural low speech that was best heard by those with enhanced ears. The grand strategy of the White Fang was about ensuring that the Faunus got what they were owed by the humans, after all.

"Sienna…" The man said, his voice sounding a little strained, worry entering his voice clearly, as he looked at her. The expression on his face was one that she'd not seen him wear before, concern and anger warring on his face, before he finally selected one of the emotions to feel. "You've been consorting with a human."

Her world seemed to freeze, images coming to her mind of all her interactions with those of the kind that they wished to take their just rewards from, her mind tracing back to the business meetings with those of human lineage, to the way that she had been engaged in buying some food at the grocery store for her dinner, together with her assistant and the bodyguards trailing behind her, nearly unseen in their plain clothes. _'Is he spying on me or something?'_

"Have I?" She responded, her eyes meeting with his own. The suspicion in his gaze was something that she could relate to, knowing that the humans would do anything to push a Faunus down into servitude. He nodded, running a hand through his hair. "At the gym, you have been getting lessons from a human. Are you betraying the Cause, Sienna?"

Anger flashed inside her like a flash-fire in a Dust storage, her eyes blazing as she looked into his eyes. _'He dares to assume that I would merely be some kitten for a measly human who hasn't even grown hair on his chin yet?'_ The expression on her face was carefully neutral, through supreme force of will. "The gala is in a few weeks. Kali and Ghira will be there as well, it would be rude if Sienna Khan, the new young leader of the White Fang, did not know how to dance, now would it?" Her anger would not be squashed though, as the image of the blonde young man danced through her mind, his hands still leaving that impression on her own, his guidance through the steps methodically and patient during their lessons.

"You would need to know how to dance, yes." He admitted, his voice still sounding a little frustrated. "Have you known any Faunus who know how to dance properly?" She questioned, his eyes showing his frustration clearly. "No, but… A Human, Sienna?" She sniffed, indignantly. "Do you think I find it amusing to have some seventeen-year-old human's hands on me? Do you think me so ill-thought that **I** would allow a human to seduce me? Adam, you know my position on humanity…" It was a throwback towards their conversation of earlier this month, his eyes meeting hers for the longest of times, as he took a deep breath. "Let me come with you tonight. I will see this human and check whether his intentions are benign."

The danger in his voice clearly told her that he would be less than gentle with the young man, the manners that Adam held towards their human opposition definitely defined as spiteful and cruel. _'With his temper, he would go straight for the jugular, and we'd have to explain why there is a headless corpse of a human in a gym… A media debacle, if I ever saw one.'_

His heart definitely was in the right place, she knew. He would give his all to see the Faunus as one of the dominant species of Remnant, their own status now as the subjugated one, which would change… through force. _'A little human boy, thinking that he is being kind by teaching the great Sienna Khan about the dances that he knows…'_

"You may. But Adam… Leave your weapons. I don't want to have to deal with him getting beheaded or something… You are passionate, indeed… But you will have to swallow your anger for a while until your talents can be put to good use." The liberation efforts of Dust would be something that would be preferable for him to engage in, with his skill with the blade working greatly in order to ensure that the Dust would land in their hands. The previous heist had gone badly, so perhaps… _'A bit of extra Dust never hurt the bank account… It can be sold on the black market if the supply is good enough, after all.'_ The look on his face was definitely that same look that she'd seen before, his mistrust of humanity one of the staples of their kind. They had been hurt, deeply… and that forged a connection.

"As you wish, High Leader." She smiled faintly at his usage of her title, with her eyes glinting in the light that fell in through the window. "You know that you don't have to call me that, Adam." The man smiled, his twenty-three-year-old face already showing some of the markings of the man that he would age into, the beautiful face of a man who was in the prime of his life staring back at her, the sunglasses blocking his eyes from sight.

"It is the respect that you are due, Great Leader." He smirked at her, a casual smirk that sent most younger Faunus girls' hearts aflutter. _'You should have been in the PR department as a spokesperson, Adam. With your charisma, you could have been better than a mere regional leader.'_ The musing was cut short, as she typed on the scroll. **'Would you mind if my colleague joins us as well?'**

The response did not arrive too long after she had hit the send button. **'They are free to join as well! A good bit of exercise is always a thing that ends a great day, mom used to say.'** She smirked. "I guess you're learning how to dance tonight, Adam."She saw the unenthused look on his face. "Don't worry, he is fairly gentle in his dancing moves… for a human." The derisive sound that Adam gave was enough to clue her in that a bit of teasing was out of the question. Guarded eyes peered at her from behind the sunglasses.

"I will ensure his demise if he does something to influence you or the White Fang, High Leader Khan." His words were firm as his eyes blazed with that dedication, his vehemence in insisting that he would enact retribution something that sent off a warning bell in her mind. _´I may not like the humans in the least, but this… This might go a bit too far.'_ Death is not a thing that she wished to wish upon too many people, for it often held negative connotations with the public eye. Under her stewardship, the White Fang had gained acceptance, slowly. Protests against the current status quo were cropping up all over the world, with the leadership of the White Fang starting to see an increase in membership, the raids on the human suppressors succeeding more often than not, with the Schnee Dust Company having their assets confiscated for the good of the Faunus. _'Serves them right… But the indiscriminate murder of humans goes a bit too far.'_

Sienna knew that the public eye would be on them if they decided to go forth and create a massacre. The starting shot in every war thus far had been the bloody end of people, which had spurred the Kingdoms into their own military expansion, even with the Faunus rebellion taking place shortly afterwards. _'Murdering them is only an incidental thing… We just deserve to be feared! What means we use to achieve that is up to us… but the wanton murder of humans for being human…'_

The chill that surged through her spine was worse, as she could feel the dread build in her. _'What we do to them, they can do to us. Faunus being led to the grave, shot with a single round… It would be like the Faunus Revolution all over again… But with a grimmer fate. A purge.'_ The majority of their kind was not as militant as they were, the White Fang consisting mostly of volunteers who wished to fight for their rights in the world. With the brutality that humanity could muster… it would be a dire fate for the Faunus to suffer, with innocent blood spilt due to actions taken by the few willing to fight. _'They would crush us before we could organize, chain us in servitude and settle us in Menagerie…'_

She could feel the tension rocket through her, as she saw the response on the screen, taking a deep breath. "Are you going back to the base?" She inquired of Adam, who nodded after a moment. "After your dancing class, Sienna." The man's hand tapped onto the table and she realized that she'd forgotten to offer him something to drink or to nibble on. _'You're acting like an addle-minded housewife, Sienna. Do you need your assistant to help you with everything?'_

She could see the tension in Adam's frame disappear as she got up. "Want something to drink?" She inquired, knowing that she'd stashed several bottles of soda somewhere in the cupboards, in the case she felt for something fizzy, his head nodding once. "Something coffee-like. I've not had much sleep last night."

As she walked towards the kitchen cupboard, she took stock of how it looked. The pot of coffee was still on the heater, half-filled with coffee that barely held the brew at stock. _'Got to make a new pot before the evening hits or I'll be a zombie.'_ The dancing lessons were a mandatory thing, every night for the whole time until the gala happened. _'After the gala, I can forget all about it and go to my appointments without any issue… it's not like the human will make it through the initiation after all.'_ The cup of coffee was poured with her mind wandering, the two cubes of sugar added to it to give it that sweetness undoubtedly enough for Adam's tastebuds, as far as she recalled what he took with his coffee. Otherwise… it'd serve well enough for her. "Two cubes, no milk, right?" She set the coffee in front of him, which he took without comment.

She watched him as he raised the cup to his mouth, tasting the brew and nodded. "You remember right, High Leader. I guess I won't be usurping your throne yet due to dementia." The wink that he gave her was one that seemed conspiratorial, the remembered statement she had made when she sent him here bringing a chuckle from her mouth. "You know that there would be a spot for you there, eventually. You are quite popular, you know."

It was the truth. He was popular amongst the crowd that knew where the power laid in the world and where the strength of the White Fang came from. With the skill that he had with his sword, he would be a top-rated fighter at the least, with his personal charisma igniting the sparks of hope within the downtrodden and hopeless.

As evening came, she could feel herself be lifted up, the paperwork that she had been working on during the day already filed and sent to the next responsible person. As she pulled on her jacket, the two bodyguards having reported for duty in the late afternoon, she chanced a glance at Adam, who was silent and steady, the weapon that he had with him put to the side, in the corner of the room. He would have to do without, for now. Enough for the young man who was to teach her to teach her, without fear of instant beheading. _'A human, dancing with the leader of the White Fang.'_

She could see the tension in Adam's mannerisms as he got out of the car before her, the bodyguards looking nervously at the man who stepped out before her, the skill of Adam well-known by several of the people who were allied with the organization, let alone the bodyguards who travelled with her throughout the year. _'All I need now is some sort of assistant in a short skirt waiting for me and it'll look like some sort of Film Black scene with the Mafia…'_

She pulled on the top, feeling the comfortable fabric cover the sports bra that she wore, the smell of the acrid deodorant hitting her nostrils, even as she applied it, to mask the scent of her natural pheromones, at least enough so that she would hardly be a distraction. _'Genetics and traits are a bother. Every time… Every month…'_ The fact that this happened so often was nothing but a distraction. "You're back again, Sierra." The woman she had run into the previous time was apparently a customer that came back once or twice every week, Sienna pasting a pleasant smile on her face.

"Yes. Dancing lessons." The 'ooh' that came from the woman was soft, even as she continued to smile in that manner that unsettled Sienna slightly. "With the human? I have seen him practice a little with the weights… Awfully scrawny, but if you say he's doing a good job… Don't know what he'd be doing otherwise."

' _Becoming a huntsman and dying for a worthless cause, I'd imagine.'_ She did not say a word about that, instead preferring to keep her silence, as she tidied her appearance up. It was time for him to go and teach her, instead of her being harried by overly nosy women. _'In the White Fang, none would dare to casually intrude upon my personal time…'_ The knowledge the Sienna Khan was someone who valued results was well-spread, as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, flashing a smile for the image of herself, the hair pulled from her face with a hair-clip.

Aside from the tattoos and her ears, nobody would readily connect Sienna Khan with Sierra the Bengal Tiger Faunus, just a fellow regular gym-buddy who wore glasses to correct her eyesight. As she ascended the stairs towards the upper part of the gym, she caught the eye of the owner, who gave her a nod, accepting her presence there. She could hear the faint sound of men's voices and opened the door to find Jaune and Adam standing opposite of each other, the frightened look on Jaune's face stimulating some dark desire inside her. _'This is how a human should look at the Faunus… Fearful, respectful… Able to leave us alone and to KNOW that we are to be respected!'_

"You're going to be very careful, kid… Otherwise, I will make sure to tear your entrails out by your nose." The closing statement of Adam seemed to bear that bloodthirsty nature of his to full effect towards Jaune, the shrinking back that he did something that made her think of a little bunny, cowering before the fierce wolf that would tear it into fluffy little shreds. _'Humans like you quiver in doubt and fear of those stronger than them…'_

"But… All I want is for her to learn." Jaune said, his voice sounding doubtful whether this was the right thing to say, hesitant as he shrank back, Adam's body language changing, hands going for where his weapons would be located if he still had them. "You're lucky that the High Leader is kind and has forbidden me to bear arms. She is worth more than a hundred of you, little human."

He cleared his throat. "My name's Jaune." The hand that was extended seemed to be a weak and frail thing, untrained and uncared for with the harsh reality of war and bloodshed. Adam looked at it and then smacked his hand away. "You're not worthy to know my name, Human." He said, and she could imagine easily that he would be tearing Jaune apart if not for her instructions not to harm him. _'Had the human boy been older, he might have held designs on me… But he seems to be a sort that has little interest beyond the hero fantasy that has taken a hold of him.'_

"But… Strangers are just friends that you've not properly been introduced to yet! You're a friend of Sienna, so you must be a good person, right?" The hopefulness in his voice was enough to make Adam's eyes turn red, his expression murderous. _'You shouldn't have said that. Adam working together with humans… If that ever occurs, I'll officially step down as High Leader of the White Fang and marry a human and breed him all the little mongrels he wants.'_

Clearing her throat, she saw Adam relax immediately, Jaune's gaze going in her direction. "Ahh, Sienna!" The growl from Adam's throat was dark and threatening, Jaune turning his gaze to him, hands up in a warding manner. "She asked me to call her that, so…" Adam's eyes were baleful in their intent, as he spoke up. "That's 'Miss Khan', for you. Give her the respect she deserves, Human."

"I've come, boy." She said, with as little of her anger showing in her voice as she could muster, her eyes meeting with his own, the shiver that went through his body something that she could feel empower her with that dark satisfaction of having an effect on someone. The glasses were tucked away in the bag, as she settled in the comfortable stance of a warrior, ready to strike whenever it was needed. "You mentioned something about trying something new. Adam here is going to observe, and possibly, learn too."

' _Taking Adam to the gala is a sure-fire recipe for disaster, with his opinions on humans definitely reflecting onto the general image of the White Fang. Plus, Ghira's opinion of Adam is not the best…'_ The thought of taking Adam was one that she dismissed right out of hand, her eyes locked with Jaune's for a moment. "You're going to teach us to dance, boy." The human's face fell. "Alright, teaching you and your boyfriend will take a little bit of work, but it's doable. My sisters always practised in front of me, so I think I know what to do."

The thought of Adam as her romantic partner was not one that put her in a good mood. With how he responded when under the pressure of engaging with humans in a nonviolent manner, he had immediately dismissed himself from her regard. _'I have no use for a man who knows not to contain his temper.'_ "Adam." She said, beckoning him to come forward. The loose shirt that he wore, as well as the skintight pants that he wore made him look like the typical bad boy, the one who mothers always cautioned their daughters about. "As you wish, Sienna."

' _And if the human labours under the delusion that Adam is my partner, why should I offer him any clarification on that? He is just going to die in a few weeks. I'm just using him for his skills.'_ She should not feel bad about that, but she did. The nagging feeling of something of an injustice being perpetrated by her was something that she could not deny, the feeling making her feel unsettled. _'The Faunus are my cause… Why am I getting so affected by a young man who is teaching me how to dance?'_

It might be his guileless personality, one who seemed to be barely aware of the struggles that the Faunus people suffered. "Alright, take her by the arms like…" The instruction for Adam was a little different, as the human pushed her a little into the arms of Adam, a snappy "Don't touch me, Human!" fired from the man's mouth, to which the blonde retreated like a scared kitten, her nose inhaling the smell of the cologne that Adam wore, applied a little too strong, masking the scent of blood below the cologne decently well. "And then take a step back, to let her step in. Let her right arm go and…" _'Not bad of a job, boy… If you do that more often and make it through the initiation, I guess that you can be allowed to be a dance instructor after we revolutionize the world and get the respect we deserve.'_

After two hours of instruction, Adam called it quits, sitting himself down on one of the mats and just observing the two of them, his eyes baleful. As Jaune took her in his arms, she could feel a greater ease go through her, as she adjusted her arms a little to the place where she thought they should go. It looked intimate and perhaps a bit too close for her regular liking, but having been set to go through the paces with Adam had really inured her to that sort of thing. It was just a dance, after all, not like she was going to tear his clothes off or something.

"You've shown a good aptitude for dancing, Miss Khan." The boy said, as they moved along the paces, the smell of his sweat like a pheromone blend that tickled her nostrils. She crinkled her nose, even as she was led along, the submissive role for the woman in the dance being something that had to be assumed to give the dance its stylish element. "It is what a woman in my position does, Human." She said, the human spoken with a tint of amusement to it, as he would undoubtedly not really know what she was referring to. His face showed some emotion that could be seen as hurt. "Just call me Jaune, please… The human thing… It's as if you don't see me as… me."

It struck a snare within her that seemed to twang for a while, as he spoke so bluntly about that issue. _'Am I really dehumanizing him by merely calling him for what he is? Would I like that?'_ The emotional load that accompanied it was heavier than she had anticipated, the feeling inside her trembling and quivering without any sort of restraint. It was a rare moment of self-reflection, and she could feel herself waver just a bit. _'Am I just as bad as the humans? No… Don't think like that. Think of the bad treatment that we get wherever we go. The signs on the wall, the scornful looks, innocent Faunus women treated like mere dogs and put on corners to peddle their flesh to whatever sick deviants come out…'_ It was a testament to her fortitude that she looked at him with a sternness to her expression, her eyes snappy. "You owe me, Jaune Arc." Her voice was sharp, as she spoke without any reserve.

"I could call you something cruder than a mere 'human' or 'boy' and you would accept it. With my word, your dream of going to Beacon bursts like a bubble of soap." Hurt flashed in those blue eyes, and his mouth was a thin line. She revelled in that little victory, as he seemed to find no hope within her actions. "I guess… Yeah, you're right, Miss Khan. I won't mention it again." She patted his head, as if he were some favoured pet. Her eyes looked into his, seeing the spark of hope ignite once more, the anger inside her rising again. _'Did he just get hope because I treat him nicely? What monsters must Humans be, to find the appreciation from their betters to be something to enjoy. Undoubtedly, he shall go to his hotel room or wherever and think about the time that his owner gave him a pet…'_ Disgust welled up inside her, a slow exhale following from her lips, as she looked at him. "Are we on for tomorrow again?" She asked, even as she mentally reviewed her schedule, knowing the general gist of the days.

"Of course, Miss Khan." He said, his voice sounding a little desperate. _'I have him now… Wouldn't want to do anything to hurt his admission to Beacon… That's the weak spot.'_ The look on Adam's face was more sedate, as his eyes looked at her appreciatively as if she had just unveiled a spot of hope to him that he had never seen before. _'Adam looks curious… I guess I'll have to do some talking with him before I go to bed tonight.'_

The trip back home was merely an afterthought, not a word being spoken whilst they allowed themselves to sit in the back of the car, his eyes casting looks out of the window, and even when they were at her house again, she could see the restlessness in his body language. "Out with it, Adam." She said, tired in voice.

"You showed your value as our leader today, Sienna." He said, his voice that dark charismatic tone that would charm the younger women of the organization with no effort, as his eyes looked at her, sharp and clear. "Dedication to our supremacy… Ability to handle an impetuous young man. Wouldn't you say that you've had a victory today?" She could imagine that, yet somehow… somehow it felt a little wrong to her.

"It is a small victory for me… But there will be a day when we do not have to hide our faces anymore, Adam… We'll be able to walk freely through the world, the respect we are due given without any issue by the humans." A dark smile, one which flashed teeth and danger to most people, settled on his lips. "One where we can be as free as we wish, with the humans kneeling before us in fear and respect." That was not quite how she would imagine it… but it fit, at least for now. _'The road to respect is paved in blood and bone.'_

As she laid herself in her bed, she allowed herself to feel that tremor of tension, curling up and letting her body relax. _'But why… Why do I feel bad for crushing his hopes a little?'_

Looking at her Scroll, she caught the image of Kali, opening the message up. – **'Will be in Vale in nine days. Let's go and shop for something nice to wear! – Love Kali!'** – She could feel a headache about to erupt, as she slid the message out of her view, setting the Scroll on the bedside table. _'And now, Kali enters the mix too… Undoubtedly she'd have something to say about my treatment of the human…'_

As she let herself slip off to that land of slumber, she let out a deep breath. _'Why can't the world just do me a favour and get me someone who I can share my burdens with, without being some idiot? Is it SO hard to get me a man who doesn't care for the fact that I am in control of one of Remnant's largest Faunus Rights organizations?'_

The face of the young human flashed before her mind only briefly, yet slumber found her once more, leaving her to merely trace over those faint recollections of the day, as her mind was cast in the darkness of dreams.

* * *

 **Another chapter is written! More Sienna… and I am intending to keep it purely from Sienna's perspective. Might do a bit of a scene part from Jaune's perspective, as he is obviously different in his thoughts than her. She does tend to think the worst of humanity as a whole but seems to soften up just a little for Jaune.**


	4. Shuffle

**Chapter 4: Shuffle**

 **Another chapter. Another view on the Struggle of the Faunus People and their Glorious Leader.**

* * *

She could only feel the burning of her calves in the morning, as she roused herself from the bed, feeling the morning's tension slowly burn away from her mind, a yawn that was loud enough to be audible in the next room coming from her mouth, as she glanced at the clock. _'Seven-thirty… What's on the schedule for today?'_

The Scroll that she had allocated to her own use beeped once before her fingers tapped in the proper code and it unlocked, her eyes scanning the headlines of the news, nestling herself a little deeper in the warm and protective sheets. On a small side-window, she had her schedule open, as her eyes ran over the titles. _'Dust prices up, thefts increasing…'_ The news was never that good for the Faunus as a whole, the stray thought coming to her mind that it might be for the best if she were to invest slightly more time into the personal sphere of things. _'It's been a while.'_

Her finger pressed the button that would connect her to her assistant. "Good morning, Miss Khan." The voice of the assistant reached her ears, the smug smirk on her face happening without her meaning to. "Good morning. Will you be around at ten?" The schedule had her actually sleep in until nine, yet the alarm clock had been set for eight thirty. This would leave her about an hour of free time, the refreshing tone of her assistant sounding like the clarion call to work. "Of course, Miss Khan. Your daily appointments, are you up to date with them?"

She glanced at the schedule and noticed that the 'dancing lessons' had been penned in for the whole evening. _'The human won't probably spend most of the time allotted to it… maybe it's a good time to hit up the bar again.'_ "Obviously. I thought I'd call and inquire about your availability today. You've slotted in the whole evening for the dancing lessons." Her assistant seemed to have little compunctions about ensuring that her schedule was filled to the brim with important activities, yet her own say in the matter decided all. _'A whole evening for dancing…'_ The thought wasn't bad, though. She had been improving, according to the boy's words.

"It is imperative that you show a cultured side. Searches have been made for a partner who can accompany you, of the right sort, obviously." The thought of having to dance with someone who wasn't as skilled at dancing as her, was something that brought only dark thoughts to her mind, as she clicked her tongue. "Where are you getting a Faunus who is skilled in dancing from?" She inquired, and the assistant hesitated for a moment. "There was a Mistralian Faunus who was trained by their human mother in the art of dancing, Miss Khan."

' _Mistralians… oof.'_ She did not hope for too much, as she would need to learn how to match the pace of her partner. "Gender?" She inquired. As a woman, she would have to appear to all other parties as someone who would be able to care for her own, and with a female partner… aspersions about her own sexuality would be made. Not something that she'd like to have stick to her. "Female, Miss Khan. Miss Tae-Xiong would do, yet our search continues." She grit her teeth, audibly grinding them together. _'It wouldn't be so bad if the public image of the White Fang wasn't so tarnished by our clandestine actions…_ '

An image of a young man, eager to please and easily cowed and intimidated came to her mind. She dismissed it immediately. _'I will not betray my people to dance with a human! Kali would see me together with him and immediately start planning the wedding!'_ Her voice didn't quiver in the slightest as she spoke to her assistant, though. "See to it that you do." Her body flooded with a warmth, annoyance showing on her face, though the call did not have video. She wasn't that stupid to do so, being only clad in underwear and a shirt. _'It'll be time to tame the kitten.'_ "I will be with you in two and a half hours. May you rest well, Miss Khan." Her assistant gave her the time to shut down the call, her eyes looking lazily at the scroll and then pulled up the folder with some of the interesting things that a woman might need for a little bit of a distraction.

She got under the shower almost thirty minutes later, her fingers tossing the shirt into the hamper and feeling the warmth wash over her, her body still tingling a little, the gushing heat inside her core making her feel like she'd just been introduced to the pleasure of featuring in one of those videos that you occasionally saw whilst browsing. Her fingers brushed over her nipples for a moment, her head facing the spray, letting the water cascade over her body, her hands bracing against the wall as she stretched a little, the popping in her body audible to her ears, as the water washed her body clean, her sharp exhale coming right at the moment when her ears heard the front door open up.

'She _'s early.'_ She thought as she shut the shower off, taking one of the towels and then draping it over her body. The shampoo would be enough for her as she started to dry herself off, the audible creak of the floor reaching her ears, her gaze going to the door opening, her eyes narrowing, as her gaze caught sight of a weapon. _'Fuck.'_ She pushed herself to the side, the 'pop' sound of a silenced pistol audible, only saved by the sheer agility that she held as a Faunus of the feline kind, the shattered tile bringing the danger to the front of her mind. _'Fuck fuck fuck fuck!'_

She pushed herself against the wall, assessing what she had available to her, her hand grabbing one of the bottles of shampoo and flinging it in the direction. _'Goodbye Golden Darkness Balsam, you will be missed.'_ The grunt of the man who'd been hit by it was enough to clue her in, her head peering past the wall to see the man's centre of mass having a large stain on it, the adrenaline surging through her body, as she grabbed the towel and moved, before the pistol could get into the position again where it would be able to land an accurate shot on her. _'I'm not immune to getting shot. With enough time…'_ Her Aura would be able to block one bullet, maybe two. Three would definitely stress the limit, which was more than she'd be allowing to pass. _'Come on, Sienna, put some moves on.'_

Her body was right in the position to strike, the towel forming into a length, whipping it out. _'The whip's still in the safe.'_ Her body moved swiftly, as the man cursed, the weapon smacked from his hand as the naked Faunus woman moved, her flat palm slamming against his chin. Dark brown hair, cut in a shaggy style, eyes that were currently crossed in pain, as her other hand hit him in the kidneys. _'You DARE to invade my home and try to kill me?'_ Aura was only useful when it was activated, after all. She smelled the scent of humans on him, noticing the lack of Faunus traits. _'Fuck.'_ Her body moved on instinct, her knee rising and slamming into his body, getting him to the ground. "You fucking bastard!" She didn't really need to scream, but it was enough for her, her eyes catching sight of the man as he curled into a ball. Her bare foot hit flesh and she stomped a few times, her eyes going for the Scroll.

The muted sound of a pistol discharging reached her ears and she could feel her body being rocked by the impact, the bullet hitting the ground with a ping, realizing that she'd just gotten herself shot at, a second assassin there, a woman wearing a hoodie including a bandanna tied over her face to hide her features. Sienna acted swiftly, her fingers grabbing a hold of the weapon that the man had laid on the ground, a second bullet hitting her in the shoulder, her aura shattering from the impact. _'Should've gotten myself trained beforehand.'_ The regret was real, whilst her aim was sure. The pistol in her hand shot its leaden cargo towards the assassin, whose eyes were wide at the swift movements of the Faunus woman. Blood blossomed on the woman's shoulder, spinning her slightly, the bullet that came from the pistol hitting the wall, one of the picture frames shattering in the other room as the bullet went straight through. _'That better not have been the one with my family on it.'_ She shot another round, the 'pop' sound coming from the weapon as the assassin's body collapsed to the ground, the wound in the gut starting to bleed, even as she walked towards the body. Another pop and the body quietened in its pain, the mess that she'd made not important anymore, her head turning to see the other man groaning, a deep sigh coming from her mouth. _'This just gets better and better…'_

Her body moved towards her Scroll, pressing the number for the bodyguard detail that SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE. _'If those fuckwits have gotten themselves bought off, there'll be hell to pay.'_ Her annoyance level was great, as the call connected. "Miss Kha-" Her voice was sharp. "Why did two people enter my apartment unauthorized and attempt to kill me, Mister Turpentine?" Her voice was frosty, as her eyes went to the man still on the floor. "What? I-" The call disconnected and she could hear faintly the sound of the bodyguards moving to her door, her head shaking a little as she went for the towel. _'Better look presentable, instead of just… nude.'_ Her eyes went down to her attire, noticing the bruise on her shoulder. _'That'll look impressive tomorrow… whoop.'_

She took no pleasure in the act of being nude in the company of others, her eyes looking at the man whilst she tried to guard what modesty she had by arranging the towel a little to fit her form. It would just look rather awkward to others eyes, but it guarded her modesty, the pistol trained on the man on the ground. "Miss Khan!" The bodyguard shouted, spotting her as she stood there, her gaze never leaving the man on the ground. "Find out how they got in here! This was supposed to be a safe place!" The voice she used was one that was used to command, her eyes looking at the man as the two bodyguards pulled him off the ground and started to drag him around. The woman was staining the ground in her apartment with her blood, the décor thoroughly ruined now, as far as her eyes could see. _'I guess I'll be moving again…'_

A flick on the button to call her assistant brought the connection out immediately. "Miss Khan, I will be with you shortly." The clipped tone of her assistant's voice showed clearly that the woman was busy with something. "Change of plans. Cancel all my appointments for today. Call the cleaners. We've got a bit of spilt fish here." The voice of Sienna Khan, High Leader of the White Fang, was an imposing one, as she looked at the body for a moment. "Time to go to the loft." The assistant's voice was sure. "As you wish, High Leader." The woman would no doubt be arranging the cleaners to come around, the men and women specializing in taking care of the bodies of those who had died during an attack. Negative publicity was not a thing that she wished to incur on the White Fang, even in a time like this.

' _Now, who could have sent these people? Is it the rebellious fraction, trying to force change through a bloody assassination?'_ Her mind started to work, as she slipped under the shower again, washing off any splatters of blood on her body, emerging with a fresh set of underwear and her nightshirt on a moment later. The bodyguards looked at her, business-like, their gaze respectfully looking away as she dressed herself. _'Casual dress.'_

"We apologize, Ma'am." One of the bodyguards spoke up, and her head turned, eyes narrowed. "How did they get in my apartment?" She hissed, her blouse buttoned up perfectly, the bodyguard looking down. "Fire escape, ma'am. Jesse went out to get a drink before we'd change shifts and didn't notice them."

' _Of all the times…'_ She could feel the tension go through her, as she exhaled slowly, looking at the body on the ground. _'A filthy human, trying to kill Sienna Khan… This could be used to galvanize the world for us Faunus… But it would not do to make this public without factoring in the different effects that it could have. Strength begets strength… and fear is a method that can be used as well. There are plenty of ways that this can be used, I just have to…'_ Her assistant arrived, flushed cheeks showing that she'd ran up the stairs, heedless of decorum. "Are you alright?" The shoulder chose that moment to start aching, yet Sienna did not give a peep. "Decently."

That was all that needed to be said. "Prepare to move my stuff to the second location. I want to have guards round the clock there, even if someone has to go get some cup of coffee, I want eyes on all possible entrances and exits." That was the least that she could do, as her shoulder throbbed once more. The bleep of a message being received made her ears twitch, looking at her personal scroll and finding the blonde boy's face staring at her, the message that came attached with the icon showing clearly that he had no indication that there was anything wrong. _'He doesn't strike me as the type to inform others about my whereabouts… and well, despite being human, he has been pretty decent.'_

It was a swift distraction, her withering gaze diverted to the scroll, opening the message with a flick of her finger. **'Are you available tonight for dinner? I figured it'd be nice to have dinner before we are to dance.'** She snorted audibly. _'Do I look like I've got the time to be worrying about dinner whilst there's a bunch of murderous scum out there looking for my head on a pike?_ '

Her hand tapped the keyboard on her scroll, typing the words out for him to read when he received the message. **'If you'll let some of my friends come along as well. The guys you met when we first had our dancing class.'** Some protection was better than no protection… and the blonde guy looked like he'd be doing the upright thing over the sleazy thing.

"We've got the premises secured, Miss Khan." The voice of her assistant drew her from her thoughts, the woman looking a little out of breath still, her eyes nervously looking to the spot where the body still laid. _'That's going to come out of my lease, I reckon.'_ "Good. We're going to go and get ourselves situated in the loft." The loft was one of the locations where the upper brass of the White Fang would be able to get themselves a place to unwind, the apartment that she had as her own fiefdom having little in the way of protection. There was, of course, the danger of people sneaking in, yet it had not happened yet before today. _'I should have been asleep around the time that they came in. It was only due to the shower that they had to advance further.'_ The bottle of shampoo laid there still on the ground, a pitiful sight to her eyes, yet she knew what to do now.

Three hours later, she opened the box with some of her personal effects, looking out over the city of Vale from the high-rise loft, the luxurious surrounding not precisely what she'd have envisioned… but it would do. The accommodations were at least better than those which she'd had at the apartment and there was even a doorman who'd be able to keep the undesirables out… in theory. _'Better ensure that the place is well-secured. A lone gunman on the streets we can deal with. Invaders to our domain…'_ They should have known about a Faunus' sharp senses, if this had been a targeted hit. They should have known and yet…they had failed, due to a bump in her schedule. _'If I hadn't been awake, my brains would've been splattered on the pillow.'_ A hint of paranoia infused her thoughts, as she looked at her hand. _'You should have been BETTER, Sienna. You're going to end up dead, betrayed by your friends, if you continue being a silly woman like this._ ' The human would teach her how to dance, the skills that he had, serving the cause through his lessons.

"We're going to have dinner with the human dancer." She said to her assistant, who nodded in understanding. Her shoulder felt a little sore, still. Her eyes looked over the various knickknacks that she had collected over the years, a laborious sigh coming from her lips at the sight, her head shaking lightly. _'This'll be for the best. An apartment… Well, it was nice for a while.'_ The Mistral location was much more furnished than this one. The Headquarters… It even had a throne room. A throne room where she could intimidate the human scum that'd come to plead for her mercy.

Her eyes looked at the message, as she read it. **'Sure! What're you feeling for? McSchnee again?'** She would have picked something a little more upscale for a second dinner date, but as it was… _'It's just a human. Why should you think that he would have any standards? A McSchnee is good enough for him. A few burgers, maybe some fries and he'll be like a puppy eating out of your hand, dying gloriously for the hopeless cause of humanity.'_ **'It will do.'** _'It's not like we're dating or anything. I have higher standards for my personal company.'_

The evening hour came soon enough, the location of the McSchnee once again visited. Her glasses fit snuggle on her face, her hair combed back to give her a different sense of style and the blouse done up in a manner that would cover the tattoos on her arms. He was currently seated on one of the chairs, his eyes shining brightly when he saw her, the excitement in them looking like it was just another moment spent with one of his favourite people. _'Urgh, he's going to be doing some spiel about how genuinely nice it is to see me again… as if we hadn't been dancing together every night.'_

"Sienna, it's so nice to see you. That outfit looks good on you." He opened the spot for her, the table kept free for their use by his own design. His eyes looked her over, giving no doubt to her mind that he was already undressing her with his eyes. _'If he was a Faunus…'_ The heat was a bother to her. It impacted her actions and her way of thinking during those moments when her body had the desire to get itself active in the carnal arena.

She looked at his head, trying to imagine a floppy set of dog ears, a grin appearing on her face. "Did you get food yet?" There was no tray in front of him, his eyes looking into hers without any fear. _'If he's ever got a dangerous thought in his head, I haven't heard of it yet.'_ The smile on his face broadened even more. "Oh, no, I figured I'd wait for you and your friends first. That's polite, y'know?" His casual air and assumption that he would know better would have riled her up, had the day not been so stressful. "Get me something to eat, will you?" She said to one of her bodyguards, her eyes looking at the menu. "Dust and Delicious platter, with a pep-Schnee." The man hurried along quickly, the human boy looking at her with a look of… was that respect? Fear?

It made her feel powerful to be regarded like that. _'Perhaps you'll know your place below us, Human.'_ Her eyes met with his own, as she saw the blue challenge her. "Something on my face, boy?" She asked. _'I need a drink, but I can't drink yet. Exercise…'_ Drinking and coordination did not go well together. With her own agency, she was well aware that it would be another target painted on her surroundings, yet she would enjoy unwinding a little. "Oh, no, I was just wondering…" He looked down, his cheeks colouring slightly.

' _He's going to confess that he's been desiring my body and wants me to accept him into my bed, by the grace of his human breed of kindness.'_ The anticipation to crush that hope ran through her, waiting for that moment when the boy's true motives would come into play. It might have been the heat in her body and the mess that it made of her thoughts intermittently, but she was now just waiting for him to leap to a dangerous fall. _'He'll be so crushed when I say no. Sienna Khan does not fuck with humans.'_ The savage smile on her lips was dangerous, as her eyes met with his. "Proceed." She said.

His cheeks heated up. "I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me sometime. I heard there's a beautiful flower show in town, and well… If it wouldn't be too much of an issue with your boss, we could go? I mean, if you don't want to, I can understand, but my mother… She's got a great love for flowers. I want to send her some…" The look on his face was bashful, as he looked down. _'He wants to take me on a date… to a flower show? What's the big deal with flo-'_ Anger showed on her face as she realized what he might be alluding to, a growl coming from her mouth, as she grabbed his hand. A startled gasp was heard, as her fingers grabbed one of his and started to bend it in a fashion that was not regularly occurring in humanity. "Is this some sly way of getting into my pants, Boy?" Her voice held the loathing that she held for such sleazy tactics encompassed within its tone, as her eyes were frosty and fiery at the same time, her mouth pressed together like a tight line, her gaze looking at him with the frustration in it of a woman who had no time for this type of bullshit.

He blanched as if physically struck, his eyes meeting with hers, frightened like that of a rabbit that'd just been spotted by a wolf. _'The fear in your eyes…'_ Her fingers squeezed his finger and pulled it back a little. "No, no, I just… Ah, you're hurting me. You're hurting me, Sienna, you're-" She squeezed the finger roughly, her eyes narrowed as she looked at him. "What did you want to achieve with that suggestion?"

' _Now the real human beast gets exposed.'_ She could see it in his eyes, that hesitation, that pride of his own race. As if he were ready to pounce on her, a 'darn sexy woman', even if she said so herself, he looked at her with those honest blue eyes. _'If you don't speak the truth now…'_ The little hints about a person's body language were open to her eyes, as she watched him, clearly gauging the potential for any misdeeds, her gaze watching sharply how his own face seemed to change colours. "I just wanted to go out and watch some flowers with you, I-Ah, that hurts, that hurts. I think you're a good person, even if you a-ahh, stop it, ah, please?"

She let go of his hand, looking at him with an indecipherable look. Her assistant's own body language spoke of her own guardedness, as she let go of the pistol that she'd kept stashed on her person. "Just to watch flowers?" Her voice could cut steel as her eyes met with his own. He seemed to quiver, intimidated by her attitude. "Just flowers. Mom really likes them and well… It never hurts to have some company, right?" She growled at him, a squeak coming from his mouth. "I didn't mean to upset you, I was just trying to see whether I could make you happy. You've been acting stressed all the time, and that isn't good! Mom always says that stress makes people crazy." The bodyguard returned with the platter with her food, putting it in front of her and she looked at her, a look on her face that was hardly readable.

' _Would it really hurt to go out to a flower show? It's one of those things where they show off flowers, right?'_ The woman in her started to comment, yet the leader Sienna Khan also offered a counter-argument. _'This might just be something that'll upset your balance. Right now, you need to consolidate your power once more. One measly assassination attempt and you'll be fresh meat during the feasting of a pack of Grimm, if the rest of the White Fang take note of it.'_ She looked at him for a while, as he fidgeted uncomfortably before her. "Go get your food, boy. I'll be thinking about your… generous offer." Her voice did not intimate her words, and she saw him get up and walk to the counter, his shoulders sagging, obviously affected by the manner in which she had dashed his dream. _'That's it, little human. Feel the despair that we feel when we mingle with your kind!'_

"Is it wise to entertain such things, Ma'am?" Her assistant asked, as her voice sounded low to her ears. Sienna knew well that the man would be bringing back some food that'd smell horrid to her sensitive nose, yet she was sure that her assistant would be primed and ready for the counter-attack. "What harm could it do? If the boy has some spine, well… He might make it through initiation at Beacon." The dismissive snort that she made immediately afterwards showed her opinion on THAT notion.

"I have warned Mister Taurus. He will be with you again tonight." The thought of Adam Taurus with her during her lessons filled her with a sense of distaste. "I see." Her voice did not betray her inner thoughts, as Jaune joined them once more, some childish chicken nuggets looking at her, the young man's face chipper and bright once more. "Tonight, we'll be doing some dances that were inspired by the Mantle style of dancing. You'll have to let me lead." The young man's knowledge as far as dancing went was more than passable. A brief smile appeared on her face, like a dumb puppy that didn't know better than that its owner was happy with it. _'As if I am taking care of some lost pet…'_

She felt the irritation in her shoulder surge, even as she heard the beep of her Scroll. Pulling it out, she tapped the message. **'Three more days, Sienna! We'll go shopping together! Have you found a new set of shoes yet?'** The message that accompanied the picture of Ghira Belladonna with a set of high heels in hand, looking like a cat that had just been doused in cold water, an umbrella held by Kali's slim hand to guard him from the rain. _'Looks like Mistral Air Port.'_ Her mind filled in the location immediately, without pausing to contemplate it. **'I'll be waiting for you. Going to a flower show in a few days.'**

The immediate writing message that popped up afterwards was as expected, a smile settling on her face as she waited for the message to pop up, the scroll laid on the table beside her, as she started on the burger that came with the food she'd ordered. She could see Jaune look at her with curiosity in his eyes, as his hand dipped the nugget in the chemical disaster area that was his ketchup. _'I guess it'll be a fun distraction, if I can spin it like an improvement to our people.'_ It might even be fun, with the current climate. Who would imagine that Sienna Khan would be joining a human to go watch some sort of vegetation that just 'looked pretty'?

"You've got that dance thing going on soon, right?" He asked her, a short nod coming from her head. _'Two weeks.'_ The date had been a thing that had bounced around in her mind. Normally a gala would be a small thing, yet with the White Fang picking up in the media as a negative thing, her presence was mandated.

She could see his face shift a little with the nervousness of a man who knew that he had asked a wrong question, her lips peeling back to show him her teeth. Her eyes met with his. "Yes. In two weeks. That means I'll need to know how to." He nodded, her scroll beeping once. **'Ooh, with someone? Are you seeing someone?'** She knew that Kali was nosy about her personal life. The older woman had been like an older sister to her, warm and friendly and sociable, willing to offer a hand with her troubles if she had voiced them before her, ready with some advice no matter the issue. **'Just a friend. They asked me to come with them so that they would be able to get some flowers for their mother.'** The writing icon immediately started, a picture sent, showing a chin and a neck, as the typing of the other woman continued. **'Ooh, you'll have to let me meet with them!'**

' _Like hell. You'd probably start to interrogate him, unveil some of my deepest, darkest secrets and then make sure that we get some time alone in order to get the secret feelings to come out, listening by the door.'_ The woman was nosy like that… But Sienna didn't find herself minding that too much. _'A rugged Faunus man, with big hands and a nice big-'_ her thoughts screeched to a halt then as she asserted herself, the gushing of warmth burning through her loins once more. _'Focus, Sienna. Adam will be there tonight. If you're thinking about some hot man…'_

He was a pretty man. He was also hung up on his previous partner, who was SEVENTEEN. _'I'd have to be pretty darn desperate to want to get laid if I had to use Adam Taurus for my bodily pleasure.'_ Her eyes fell onto her bodyguards for a moment, an immediate dismissal following to her mind. _'Don't fuck the hired help. They'll never be as loyal to you as your own people are. The tabloids would have a field day with that.'_

Her gaze rested on Jaune and the notion was only briefly entertained and discarded. _'The day I decide to spread my legs for a human is going to be the day that I officially sever my ties with the White Fang.'_ The thought was ludicrous. "Is that one of your friends?" He asked conversationally, the scroll picture displaying still Kali's neck and clothes.

"She's a dear friend of mine, yes." She answered in a curt and clipped tone. To his eyes, she was the picture of poise and grace, not ruffled in the slightest by the happenings around her, her eyes looking at the young man for the lengthiest of moments, though the Faunus around her could smell her scent, irritable and fierce. _'You should be glad you don't get these urges, boy. You would be humping every pretty little thing's leg like some mangy dog.'_ The young man would be a hit with some of the younger members of the White Fang, if he ever had the right traits. Blonde, tall with blue eyes…

' _You'd be a pretty boy, getting dates with girls all week long if you'd just stop acting like a doofus.'_ She watched him look at the picture, smiling brightly. _'Yep. Human mating tactics: Show them your teeth and they'll be all over you. Not today, human!'_ "She sounds like a wonderful person if you're describing her in such terms." He looked at her, full of innocence and purity as if there was nothing under the heavens that could bring that smile away.

' _First an assassination, then a young man smiling at me… What's after this? Going for drinks with him and introducing him as 'my pet human' or something?'_ The snarky thoughts in her mind continued, as he finished his food. The taste of it wasn't that bad, she mused, as she let her plate be carried off by her bodyguard, not having had to lift a finger. "Let's go, human." She said simply, as she looked at her assistant. "I'll get the car." She said, and as he held open the door, a spike of something surged inside her, her breathing a little deeper, as the car door was held open for her. "Ladies first."

She looked at him for the longest of times, as she got in, seeing him get in after her, his head nearly hitting the ceiling due to his height. He was tall. A human's scent invaded her nostrils, as her assistant joined them at her side. Sandwiched between a Faunus and a human, Sienna felt like she should pick one side and stick with it, her eyes looking at her Scroll, Kali's next reply already on the screen. **'Don't be so cold! Tell me all about it! What's he like? How's he treating you? Have you made love together? You should always remain close! Skinship! We're going to have so much fun when we get together, Sienna! We can let our hair get done, Ghira can help us with shopping and with the additional preparations! I won't even pry too deeply!'** The message was worrisome to her.

' _Knowing her, she'll get excited and blab all about what I should do in the bedroom.'_ A scrutinizing glance at Jaune, as she took his measure. _'Needs more muscle and a lot more alcohol in MY system before I can even think about it.'_

Dancing lessons were, as a general rule, intense on her muscles. As she was twirled around like one of those professional tarts with their high heels and their perfect poise, she allowed herself a moment to glimpse over at Adam, seeing the scowl on his face, as Jaune pulled her close once more. "Your boyfriend is looking at me again." She frowned, but moved with his direction. The music was loud enough to drown out the sound of his words, even with his body guiding her through the next few steps. "Let him." She said, as she continued along.

After the practice was done, she let herself unwind a little. Adam was nervous and twitchy, his hand never straying from his weapon, whilst Jaune stood there like a statue, waiting for her to dismiss him. _'You can learn respect, boy…'_ The smugness was hardly hidden, as she stretched, yawning a little, her arms moving slightly to get more movement in them. The bruise on her shoulder was enough, as she felt the ache of the muscle. "That looks bad. You should get some cream on that."

His advice made her look at the young human, his eyes full of concern and care. "If you want, I can get you some cream." Her mind immediately leapt to a conclusion once again, yet she calmed herself. "Oh?" She said, her voice frosty in tone. He shrank back like a scared kitten, her eyebrow raised. "I've got some left. Mom makes sure that we never leave the house without it." He walked to his bag, returning with a jar filled with some white cream. She sniffed the air, the smell of some herbal blend mixed with what seemed to be milk as well as… cinnamon? _'What are you playing at, boy?'_

"Rub that on your bruise and it'll clear away in a day. Mom's cures are the best." He smiled at her encouragingly, holding the jar out to her. She took it with a sound deep in the back of her throat, her hand pulling the jar to her chest closely. She didn't know why, but she had a feeling that he'd be getting excited about her being friendly to him. "I'll use it. If it works, it'll work. If not…" She trailed off, the threat audible in her voice.

He looked like a startled mouse, looking at her. "But it'll have to work! You're someone important, so you'll have to look good. I'm sure that you might've just stumbled into something or the other, it happens to me all the time. My sister calls me clumsy, hehe." He chuckled, embarrassed for his words. She looked at him with a stare that would not look out of place in a battle for the leadership of the White Fang, her pride roused. "I don't think I am clumsy… and if you'd like to keep breathing and enter Beacon, you'll do well to keep your cheek in check, human." She paused for a moment to let her message sink in.

She was Sienna Khan. She led the White Fang and no human with his cream could bring her to feel kindness to the humans who so seemed to have made it their duty to ensure that Faunus were oppressed. _'Now… Let's see how you bounce back from that, little sunshine.'_ The look on his face faltered for a moment, his lower lip quivering, the sadistic glee in her body winding up.

"I'm sorry, Sienna." He said, his apology sounding loud, as he took a moment to muster up whatever passed for confidence for him. "I'll not do that again. Just…" She looked at him and then decided to toss him a bone. _'Let it not be said that Sienna Khan does not know mercy.'_

"I'll go with you to that flower thing." She said, her voice not rising in the tone. "Y-you would? I mean, you will?" Hope seemed to come to his heart, as he seemed to stand up a little straighter. _'I've already told Kali that I would… and it's not like the little human would be able to fight me off.'_ She would be well-guarded at all times, now. "Consider it… a treat. You get to take a beautiful woman out to your little human event and I…" She swallowed the distaste of saying it as such. "Get to go see some flowers. It can be…"

She looked at her assistant. "Searching for something to accentuate my dress." The voice she spoke with was curt, as the gears already started to work. With a flower to add charm to her style, it would detract from the fierce appearance that she struck, even whilst wearing a dress. _'I get to look at flowers, the boy gets his mother something nice… And maybe some promotional shots can be made for a campaign advertisement or something.'_

Public Relations were a nightmare to navigate. She would do one thing and then the papers and other magazines would publish something like 'Khan destroys hope!' 'Khan brings despair to Mistral!' 'Khan in scandal! Illegal sex parties under Faunus leadership!' Her face frowned at the thought, her eyes looking at him. _'A little bit of scoping out flower arrangements would not be wrong… Being aware of those subtle accents might help, somehow.'_

"What's the venue like?" She inquired, her voice harsh and demanding the answer right here and now. Jaune's eyes were wide, like a rabbit caught within a snare. She could feel the dark predatory nature of her blood rise up, as he seemed caught off his guard. "Just down at the market! I heard this older Faunus lady talk about it when I was shopping for food."

' _Did he overhear a woman talk about it and thought of me? Does he think we are all interchangeable, like dolls that you can just place wherever?'_ Her anger swelled. "The Vale Faunus Flower Festival?" Her assistant inquired, having undoubtedly looked up the places where such a thing was being held. _'Just what I'd need in an assistant.'_ The thought was enough, as she looked at the young human that stood there. "Oh, that one, yes. It's apparently there to bring happiness and cheer, and it's open to all that want to come." The assistant's eyes looked a little conflicted, as she motioned for Sienna to come closer.

The garish picture of flowers appeared, with several smaller lines that had been made just for the reading of those with enhanced vision, her tongue sliding over her lips. _'It's Faunus-only, so I guess…'_ She looked at him, a fierce grin on her face. "Very well, boy. We'll go to that festival with you." The look of surprise on his face was enough, as she glanced at her assistant. "Arrange for a PR session. We're going to make this flower show a hit." A Faunus-only show would not regularly allow for the presence of a human, but with his invitation… well, it wouldn't be too bad to get a human into the mix. That cooperation thing would be… something. _'With just a- Actually, we can just get him some shampoo. There are plenty Faunus who do not have their trait out in the open.'_

"I do have some demands for you, though." Her voice was sharp as she spoke, a savage grin on her face. "Adam?" The man scowled at her, as he half-knelt. "Yes, Sienna?" She had used her voice as High Leader, looking right at him. "Ensure that we get proper protection arranged. Get Jaune some… blocker, if you would." Her body tingled a little, as she looked at him for a while.

"Sienna, I really would not-" He started, but he was cut off with a snarl from her. _'Who do you think holds the power here, Adam Taurus? Do you think that YOU are the High Leader now?'_ She looked at the man, clearly there to do her bidding. "Get him the shampoo. I need a fresh dose as well or I'll be smelling like…" She made a frustrated sound, the aching between her legs starting to act up. _'This just needs to pass… Another two days or so, and I'll be back to normal.'_

"What's this about shampoo?" The human boy asked, her smile predatory still as she looked at him, her eyes glinting. "Faunus, as you might be aware, have heightened senses. The blocker shampoo is good enough to block out your human scent, at least for a short while. It's what we regularly use in order to make sure that we can pass through a human settlement without upsetting the senses of those around us." Skunk Faunus' were known for such a thing. The oily liquid that they secreted through their pores was often considered to be distasteful, as well as ill-advised to actually have air out in public. They have great skin generally though, no doubt due to the secretions.

The benefit of the shampoo was also that it negated most of the scent of a woman's heat to other Faunus. An ill-thought-out moment could lead to nine months of hell for her, which was NOT a path that she would enjoy going into and staying on for a while. _'I will not be getting pregnant whilst the White Fang still needs me.'_

She looked at the human, then cast her gaze at the disgruntled Adam. _'He'll need to be spoken to. His attitude is out of control. I can forgive a lot, but doubting my orders…'_ The anger simmered below the surface, aided by her own emotions and the heat of them. Her gaze was like a firestorm as she looked him over, inhaling and exhaling slowly to get the order back in her mind.

She would be going to that flower festival, do a bang-up job of making sure that the Faunus would accept the White Fang as their path to salvation and ensure that the human would get his little wish of finally taking a girl out to someplace nice.

' _Aren't I a wonderful person? A strike for the White Fang AND human-Faunus cooperation in one go!'_

* * *

 **Sienna… well, I can say that under regular circumstances, her own mood would not have let her accept the offer that Jaune so casually dangled in front of her. To his eyes, it's just going to watch some flowers with a friendly person, he doesn't mean anything by it (He's giving Sienna the Pyrrha Treatment!), yet Sienna… Her mind is turbulent and thinking the worst, not in the least due to the assassination attempt.**

 **She's genuinely fun to write. She's got her own prejudices and opinions and doesn't easily change them. Kali, compared to Sienna, is MUCH more easy-going around humans. Sienna has a lot of anger inside her, the anger bubbling to the surface sometimes, yet when she's relaxed and at ease, she can be pretty nice and friendly.**

 **Next time… Flowers. And another dance. Leave a review! Let me know what you think of this story!**


	5. Dip

**Chapter 5: Dip**

 **People seem to be wanting to see Sienna get heated. Well, she's getting plenty hot.**

* * *

As she looked in the mirror, her hand busying itself with applying the mascara, she wondered briefly how long this torment would have to last of preparing. With her management skills and the assistant that she had at her disposal, organizing a little impromptu event like this was child's play, with the skills needed to organize something like this easily allowing her to ensure that she would get what she craved and desired.

Her desires were king in this place, after all. She was Sienna Khan, leader of the White Fang. There was no place where she would not be hailed as a celebrity when she appeared, provided they held a Faunus majority. The power itself was something that she could only cling to when it was needed, her office being one of those spaces where the absolute domain of her organization was located. _'Three more strikes…'_

Putting the mascara back in the holder, she looked at herself in the mirror. A pretty young thing, she would be called, had her ears not been there, her dusky skin showing the tattoos that she'd had set on her skin years before when she had been young, angry and ready to take up the fight for Faunus rights. Her fingers traced over her upper arm, tracing over the lines, a ghost of a smile there now, as she remembered the good days of before. Travelling together with Adam and Ghira, with the occasional visit to where Kali and Blake lived had been something that had freed her mind from the shackles that had bound it, even though she would hardly admit so publicly.

"Ma'am?" The assistant sounded from the other room, even as Sienna let her hand drop, grabbing the lipstick and applying a fresh coating to her lips, the dark red something that would be better for a date, yet appearances would be something different. A certain hint of an appeal, to show that she was fit, fierce and ready to lead them into the next golden age. "Are you ready yet?"

She hoped that the boy had thought of the shampoo, as it was crucial that he not smell too 'human' for the purposes. She could spin it as some sort of cooperative effort between the disadvantaged youth and the White Fang, to reconcile the human and Faunus population, but… that might be too hard to spin with his obviously defect brain. _'At the most, he'll be thinking about how he could get some nice flowers.'_

She finished her preparations after a moment, sprinkling some perfume onto her chest in order to smell pleasant. The organically made perfume was not too irritating to her nostrils, carrying a faint herbal essence that had enough power to block out any sort of scents of heat and what-not. Having someone able to influence her through their own pheromones was not something that she would want.

"I am."She said, putting the finishing touches to her hair. Her whole body shuddered slightly as she looked at the reflection in the mirror, noticing that her hair was immaculately done, to her own personal standards, her eyes were just accentuated well enough and she looked 'presentable' to the world. "Has the affair been arranged?"

She had done some things herself, the call placed to the venue, some preparations made to properly receive her. It wasn't that she would be totally safe there, the assassins who had come for her having been effective in strengthening her paranoia, as she let her gaze wander slightly. "Of course, ma'am. Before the show starts, you will have five minutes. I've prepared some short words for you to say, for your perusal whilst we are in transit. Your… acquaintance, has informed Adam that he would be waiting for you."

' _Undeniably with some warped idea why we'd want him to shower with the body shampoo like that.'_ The human had been more or less obstinate about the entire deal, leaving her feeling frustrated with the thickness that his mind seemed to have, his whole demeanour speaking to her innermost self as fragile and without the backing that anyone would need to survive in the places that she frequently travelled. "Good. The public appeal of the White Fang must be kept up. He will just be a regular person, chosen by happenstance to accompany me."

Whether it was flowers she was looking at or high-grade munitions that had been liberated, she knew well the need for appearances and public speaking. As she got into the back seat of the car, the tinted window hiding her from view, she pulled out the notes that her assistant had made, perusing them slowly, checking the paragraphs of text for something suitable that she could use.

The first impression was the best. People who only knew of the White Fang as a terrorist organization would hardly be wowed by some bitter shrew on stage who harped about Faunus supremacy… they would need to have the charisma of a leader directed at them, to show them that the Faunus could rise and be respected by humanity as a whole. _'Small section on cooperation to please the more moderate faction, outlining the damages done to our race as a whole and how… Hmm… I'll have to add something about the flowers and the meaning of flowers to that deal. It'll be thematic and would be a hit with the people.'_

The young man who would be waiting for her would have to bear the speech first before she would be able to join him. _'It's not like he can object.'_ The savage grin on her face reflected in the mirror as she chanced a glance up, as she looked at her Scroll for a moment, the messages of the early morning having filtered through already. **'Bring your credit card! Ghira is going to carry the bags! Love you, Kali!'**

The excitement of the older woman was enough to instil in her a feeling of dread. _'This had to be one of those moments when you could just feel the ache of regret, right?'_ The thought of shopping with Kali wasn't that bad, actually… But having Ghira there with them would make selecting something that was fitting a little tougher. _'It's nothing against the man, but he reminds me too much of a father to really…'_

Kali also had a penchant for offering outfits that were risqué in their nature, which would once more assure her cheeks to be dyed crimson with embarrassment. The way that the woman had sneakily suggested that she wear a certain type of lingerie that lacked any sort of protection for the groin was… daring. ' _Someone would need to stick around before I'd ever go to that length…'_

The woman had bought it for herself though and the thought of Ghira and Kali together… was not exactly something that she'd spend much time on. Granted, they were still very much in love, but there was the thing with seeing the man as a paternal figure, which would ruin any sort of feelings in that area that she'd have.

"We have arrived, Ma'am." Her assistant said, as the bodyguards got out first, checking the surroundings with their careful gazes. She stepped out a moment later, spotting Jaune immediately. The hoodie that he wore was still on, the set of pants looking to be newer than before, without some of the marks that she'd seen on them before and there was a look of being fresh-shaved about him that didn't really look that bad.

' _On a scale of one to ten, he's a… five.'_ That wasn't to say that he was that ugly to her eyes. The blonde hair would need some gel and a loving barbershop appointment, the eyes could be hidden with a nice set of shades and there could be some better clothing that he'd wear! She looked entirely too dressed compared to his little slovenly hobo look!

Her lips thinned as she looked him up and down. The hoodie would have to go, preferably as soon as possible. She'd have to see whether Adam had one of his coats left, they looked to be the same height, after all… Black wasn't a bad look for the human, if he'd manage to get himself a bit of extra muscle to go with it. _'Note to self: Get him a jacket. Inquire with Adam whether the place he shops at sells coats without the rose on it.'_

"Hey, Sienna!" He sounded so cheerful to her ears, the bodyguards stiffening, even as they looked at him, hands ready to pull their weapon out and ensure that he would be neutralized. He walked towards her with a bit of a swagger, a contrast to the business-casual style that she was dressed at, her assistant in full outfit, whilst she was… a little less formal. "Excited to go watch some flowers?" He asked with that smile on his face, disapproval flying in her face, as she sniffed, trying to detect that scent.

' _Seems like he did use the shampoo. Good.'_ Another trace of scent reached her nose and she furrowed her brow. "Did you… use some sort of cologne?" She inquired, her voice sounding perhaps stricter than she'd intended, even as he gave her a look that was innocent, yet with its own confidence. _'Confidence without the skill to back it up… typical human frailty.'_ "Mom always said that you should always look nice when you're meeting with a lady."

She couldn't suppress the snort of derision as she heard that, her eyes meeting his own. "You look like you took your clothes out of a garbage disposal unit…" Her assessment was harsh, yet the bunny logo of Pumpkin Pete's really irritated her for some reason. It was as if he were spitting in the face of those poor rabbit Faunus who had to slaver in the factories to make the favourite cereal of the people.

His face fell and his lip quivered. "But…" The pathetic dog look that he adopted seemed to be one of her new favourites, her whole body feeling a thrill of a dark sadism as she looked at him, clicking her tongue. "You'll do, though." She said, nodding. _'It would be worse if he came dressed like some fancy human. My people often have to make do with the rags, with the things that hardly matter for the humans, the cast-offs and those things out of fashion.'_

The luxury of having a good salary and being able to shop with people was something only that the rich Faunus could do, who had struck it big due to cornering the market in their niche and made their Lien the fair and square way. The salary that she earned as High Leader of the White Fang put her strictly in the lower end of the upper class, the salary dedicated mainly to supporting the Faunus organizations that had need of some support. _'Half my salary goes to charity, to support our people in their time of need.'_

The look that appeared on his face was like she had just told him that he'd won a million Lien, a free car and a house in one go, the look of brightness in those eyes disgusting her, as if she had just been the one to lift his spirits from the darkness of oppression. _'You're definitely getting a coat. I won't be seen with someone who wears something so ratty as a… hoodie.'_

"Miss Khan?" Her assistant said, clearing her throat, Sienna realizing that she had just been standing there, taunting the human a little, her attention turning back to her assistant, dismissing Jaune's presence. "The speech will be given before the show starts. It is imperative that we meet with the organizers of the event." The words were calm and cool, as Sienna turned her gaze to Jaune. "Get yourself seated, I'll be around afterwards."

Business came before silly boys who thought that they could do her a favour by taking her to watch flowers. Her eyes were sharp and keen as she walked over, the heels that she'd selected for the occasion clicking on the tiles, her bodyguards forming a protective space around her, preventing anyone who would come to kill her from getting too close.

"It is such an honour to have you, Miss Khan." The organizer of the event was one of the older ladies of the city, her deer horns half-ornamentally decked out with flowers for the occasion. It was hard not to sneeze at times, the pollen agitating her nostrils, yet she bore it gracefully. "It is what the White Fang does, Miss Gureen." The woman nodded, a smile on her face. "It is such an honour indeed. A young and vivacious woman like you, speaking at our little humble festival." There was no objection from Sienna's side, though. Any reason for her to spread her vision and create goodwill for the White Fang was one that she would give her all for.

"I've prepared a little speech as well, if you'd be so kind as to allow me a few moments to speak?" The suggestion was something that had been arranged for her, the woman nodding enthusiastically at her. "Of course, of course. We would be glad to have you speak a little before we start the flower festival." The way of the world was that the strong led the weak, giving them the benefits of their protection whilst achieving their goals with their strength.

As she heard the people speak excitedly just a few meters away, she mentally psyched herself for the speaking that she would have to do, her eyes looking at the notes that she'd arranged into something comprehensible for her own mind to work with. _'You're going to charm them, let them know that the White Fang cares for them, to ensure that they will be cared for when they have nothing else…_ '

"Miss Khan?" Her assistant said, as the crackle of the speaker seemed to be loud, her ears flinching slightly at the sound, as she was sure that others would be feeling the same. A deep breath she took, as she walked up to the spot that had been set aside for her, even with the floor. A small desk was in front of her, the flowers that had been arranged in the shapes of beauty surrounding her. She set the papers on the desk in front of her and stood tall, taking the microphone from the previous speaker.

"Good morning."Her voice cracked a little as the speakers announced it, the mechanism of the electrical lines undoubtedly being worn out from the years, yet her voice carried well, spotting Adam in the back of the room, dressed in his 'business-casual' outfit. The dark motif of the rose was gone, which meant that he was just looking like a bad boy. "When I heard of this festival for the first time, I had just been settled with my dinner, cheap fare that would hardly fill the belly of the people who continue to oppress us." The words came easy to her, as she straightened herself, her hands moving without a flaw in their motion to punctuate them.

"A cheap meal, some humans might call it. Simple food for a simple type of person. Even I eat at a McSchnee, brothers and sisters. We have been forced to adapt to the changes of the world around us, ever since the Revolution!" The rummaging sounds of people working behind her reached her ears, yet she trusted the bodyguards to do what they were paid for. "With a single strike of us who labour under the humans, we cannot achieve our dreams. Our families will need food, our bellies will not be filled with our mere complaints." Her fist was balled, as her eyes fell onto the young blonde human, sitting on one of the back rows. Next to him was an older Faunus gentleman with a worn-down set of jogging pants, a bit of a portly belly and a set of impressive ears, elephantine in nature.

"For too long, have we been drudges and mere servants to the humans who have kept us enslaved. The Revolution was there for our own RIGHTS." The fist raised, and she could see that several of the people had grown inspired by her words. "It is not RIGHT for us to be kept contained in Menagerie. It is not RIGHT for us to be merely disregarded as servants or… animals." The vehemence with which she spoke the words made sure that her emotions on the subject was made clear. "The flowers… They hold no blame."

' _Improvisation, Sienna… The grim before the good. Set the tune.'_ She could see that Jaune's eyes were on her, the human boy's gaze looking at her with a look that was serious. "Flowers are impartial to humans and Faunus, caring only for those who wish to feed them, like a seed that has found fertile ground."

She knew that she would be moving the topic slightly, to work the political angle. "What are we, if not the seeds of the next generation? Am I not but a simple woman, tasked with the job of giving a speech to those who I consider my brothers and sisters?" The words encompassed her feelings, as she looked at some of the faces, bright and young, eager to think about the vision that she held for the future.

"Even I, when I had thoughts on the goals that were in front of me, gave a moment of pause when I heard that this flower festival was being held. I thought to myself – 'Why not go and be amongst my people, watching things of beauty?' rather than to remain cooped up in meetings and being of less use than a mere seed that has not found fertile ground." Her eyes roved over the faces. Her words were reaching them.

"I am not here to preach for war, ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters. I am simply here to watch some flowers and to enjoy myself." _'Pleasant smile number three.'_ Her facial features changed to show a smile that she barely felt, as she rationalized the effect that it had on the people, their faces changing, as she showed her care for them. "I am, first and foremost, just a woman."

' _Just like Ghira proclaimed that he was 'but a man', I can do something similar. Empathize, rationalize and get in their hearts.'_ The look on their faces was exultant, even as her face changed. "The White Fang wishes to institute change. A change for the better, where our children and brothers and sisters can walk alongside humanity as equals, respected and thought of as worthwhile, rather than the downtrodden mess we appear to be now." Her eyes caught Jaune's, the look in them strange. _'Intimidated, human? Do you think that you've got the guts to mess with Sienna Khan? Are you afraid now, boy? There's no backing out. No going back on your words…'_

She had him by the balls, figuratively speaking. Her word against his and his dreams would come tumbling down. "I have a dream, my brothers and sisters, that I can be the one who will be able to reach out to humanity and to show them that together, we can make the world a better place! But for that, we will need beauty in this world! Flowers encompass the fading beauty of life with a brief burst of colour. Let us look back at this festival as but the splendour of our efforts to brighten the world with our presence!"

Applause greeted her as she took a step back, the organizer of the event getting in front of the desk. The chairs that had been put up were picked up, the people changing their method of seating, her eyes watching carefully the movements of the human amongst them. Adam looked at him with an unflinching gaze, wary of everything else, without any sort of straying from his thoughts. _'Hmm…'_

She seated herself on a chair, waiting for the bodyguards to sit there with her, their gazes checking out every visitor to the show, without fail. Their manner was fitting for the current time, as she heard the human sit down next to her. "That was a nice speech." He complimented her, a savage feeling of pride welling up inside her, without warning. It was a sign that she had at least reached him, as he smiled at her, the gesture so foolish to her eyes that she rolled her eyes.

"About how we're all like flowers, and how Faunus and Humans can work together… Gee." She could hear the impressed sounds come from his mouth, as he moved, clearly moved by the way that she had impressed upon the people here her mission. It was at that moment that the flowers were put into sight, some explanation given about the meaning of the flowers and what they represented. _'I've never had much interest in flowers before.'_

He had this look on his face that was interested, as he looked at the flowers on display and then pulled out a small calculator, calculating the price of the flowers, as he looked at them for a moment, the different styles of flower arrangement being beyond her interest, as she focused more on immediate happenings, yet he seemed to have found an interest. _'A frail human boy who watches flowers…'_

She'd show her displeasure publically, yet she had to be the image of the White Fang. Calm, composed, chatting with the young man beside her. "They are nice." She said, noncommittally. One of the bouquets that was passed by smelled particularly pungent, the white flowers that looked particularly bland having an odd smell, yet she shrugged. "Mom likes having flowers around the house. She's always going on about how we'll have time to garden when we're retired, but I…" He smiled again, noticeably so. "I want to be a hero."

She knew that his dream was to be a Huntsman of some renown, with the skills to keep the people safe. Her eyes watched carefully for any hint of the deceit that he might be harbouring, even with his gaze resting solely on the flowers that passed them by. "Relax. You're a little tense." He said to her, as if they were indeed equal, his suggestion enough to rile her up into anger. _'The human thinks that I'm being too tense? Where does he muster that ability to immediately corral me into something that he thinks is right?'_

She could feel the anger explode inside her, the burning shell of her own anger rising. "You…" She said, her voice a low hiss. She was getting angry and showing it, his hand on her shoulder for a moment. "Just watch the flowers." He said, voice sounding more insistent, as his hand did not slip from her shoulder, giving it a squeeze. It was an awfully forward gesture, yet she felt the blazing anger simmer, as she let her gaze wander back to the flowers.

' _I don't have much affection with flowers, but… Am I just too tense and wound-up?'_ Her own body's desires were still raging inside her, even with the day of the heaviest outburst having passed by. With luck, it would all be over when Kali was returning, the need for a new wardrobe bringing out the best, instead of the crabby Sienna Khan that she felt she was. _'Perhaps I'm just showing my tension too much, the human noticed, after all._ '

He got up after the show was done, mingling with the people. She looked at Adam and made a small note in her mind to have the young man assess the skills of the bodyguards in the next few days. _'There's no chance that they would betray me as of yet… but the assassins who came for me had been able to get into my apartment without forcing the lock.'_

"Miss Khan, it is a delight to meet with you." The young man that stood before her was someone who was obviously well-to-do, the broad hat that he wore hiding the upper part of his head, where the signs of tattoos were already visible. "I live to serve my people." She said, the rote statement enough for the press to get. "It is just the benefit of being an ambassador of the White Fang." The young man smiled faintly, as he shook her hand. His tail flicked back and forth. "It's a pleasure, still. Would you care for something to drink? You might be getting thirsty, after the show." The offer was well-intentioned, she figured, yet she shook her head. "I'm afraid I've been well-served, Mister…"The young man hadn't given her a name, even as her eyes ran over his bodily proportions, checking the muscles out and making some snap judgments.

' _Not bad. Perhaps I'll have to take you home tonight.'_ The thought was brief, yet it was enough as the gush of heat washed down her nethers, a shifting in her posture. "Aureus Ferrus, at your service." The look on the young man's face was enough to make her get the tingles below, as she let her tongue dart over her lips. _'You've been without a man for too long, Sienna, if some tattoos and a decently handsome face can get your engine going.'_

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mister Ferrus." The formal code was still there, as she shook that hand. "Would you… perhaps be available for dinner? I know this lovely restaurant, staffed by an uncle of mine and his sons. They serve some of the nicest linguini's that you'll ever find in Vale." The offer was nice, yet her mind immediately stamped it with a big, bold NO. _'Fraternizing with someone whose identity I don't know, who has designs on me…'_

Going out for dinner with the human was not too bad. She knew that if it came to it, blondie would be gasping on the ground whilst she was making his reproductive capacity invalid. Nobody got fresh with Sienna Khan without feeling the wrath of Khan. "I'm afraid I'll have to pass. I have pressing engagements elsewhere during the evenings."The smile that was apologetic and sociable that Kali had taught her came in handy now, as her eyes met with the young man's, seeing the rejection she'd given him affect them. _'I MIGHT have rented your services if the need got too high. Now, you've blown that chance.'_

She was far too intimidating for many of the men to date. An older woman pushed Aureus aside, taking her hands. "You aren't as the media tells us. A woman with a heart for our plight." The genuine smile on her lips was no different from the one that she had given before, as the woman's genuine nature seemed to shine brightly through her aged face. "I do what I can, ma'am. I am not the leader that the previous High Leader was, so I can merely ape his competence."

Ghira had been a speaker who could sway the crowds with his message. The majority of the speeches that he had written had been subtly influenced by Kali, her manner of being social and approachable lending itself greatly to connecting with the crowd. Anyone could write a speech about anything, but to really make it your own and SWAY the public… That required some skill.

"I hope to see that you'll rise to be as great as he is. Chieftain of Menagerie… That's no doubt an important position." The woman continued, her voice sounding like the fading echoes, as she thought back to the words that she'd spoken during her speech. "I hope to be." She said, trying to inflict a sense of genuine belief in her words.

"Now… That young man you were sitting next to…" The woman smiled, as she leaned a little closer. _'The human?'_ Quirking a brow, she tilted her head to the side. "Yes?" The woman smiled, patting the back of her hand in a maternal fashion. "He looks a little unpolished, but he might be good for you. A younger man, eh?"

' _Do not grow angry. They don't know that he's a human, the scent is blocked well. My own scent is blocked as well, and only Adam and the bodyguards know that he is a human.'_ "He is… someone who teaches me how to dance. It was a coincidence that we sat together." _'Why did I just admit that?'_ The woman patted her hand again.

She felt a spike of annoyance go through her. "Give the boy a chance, he means well." The woman looked her in the eyes, her gaze holding the experience of a lifetime, making her feel smaller and humbler than she was. "Regardless of the fact that he is a human, he seems to want to change the world, just as you want to change it. Sometimes, Sienna Khan… You need to take the first step on the dance of life. Before you know it… the time to dance is gone."

She felt like she was doused in ice water for a fragment of a moment, her eyes widening marginally, as her gaze rested on the woman, who had seemingly concluded that Jaune was a human and would be 'suitable' enough for her to give him a chance. She swallowed, momentarily unsure what angle to approach this from. She could just dismiss the thought for the moment, making it out to be a circumstance that had happened and she had nothing to do with it, but the human's words were unpredictable and without any sort of reason, to her. "I must go now, dear. I hope you will be visiting us again next year." The woman smiled, even as someone spoke up.

"Grandmother, there you are." The embarrassed look on the woman's face, her deer antlers standing upright, her cheeks red with the feelings that she was currently feeling. "Miss Khan, I apologize. Grandma got away from me, it was not my intention to let her bother you. She speaks too much, talks too much, I can understand if you ar-"

She held up a hand, putting her most magnanimous smile on, stalling the verbal diarrhoea of apologies. They would have little use, as the damage had already been done, her inner self losing its balance for a moment. _'Fuck.'_ "I always trust in the judgment of our elders. It is only through their experience that we can attain the wisdom to act as we are, to bring a better tomorrow to the world, miss…" The woman coughed. "Deerie. It's short for Darlene Elena." Sienna smiled. "Deerie, I hope you will have a wonderful time today."

"I… I'm sure I will, Miss Khan." The woman said weakly, as she guided her grandmother away from her, Sienna's ears hearing the soft hissed words of the woman to her grandmother. "Remember what I said, dear. Take the first step."

"Hey, Sienna." She heard him before she turned around, seeing him stand there, still dressed in the silly hoodie and his ragged clothing that looked like they would need a big patch-up before they'd be considered appropriate. A large red rose was in his hands, as a small plastic bag with the emblem of the festival was in his other hand. "I just wanted to give you this." He handed her the rose, its redness pretty in the light of day. "Just as a thank you."

She… didn't quite know what to do right now. _'Take the first step, take the first step, what the fuck do I do if he just offers me a rose, thanking me for… what?'_ Indecision warred behind the passive façade that she put up even as she took a deep breath, her eyes looking at the young man with determination in them. "A rose, hmm?" She said, as if critical. She caught his eyes, blue and hopeful, as if there had been some determination that she would need to challenge, to conquer, to ensure that he would be hers.

His anticipation seemed to be like any other man. Eyes looking at her face, as she held the rose in her grip, turning it slowly around. Its lustre was such that it seemed like a beacon of love, as she snarled internally. "What are you getting at?" Her voice was fierce and suspicious, as she looked at him with disgust in her eyes. _'Just like any other horny teenager, he thinks that he'll be able to get in my bed with just a cheesy rose and some declaration of love, maybe with some sappy poetry or just a serenade.'_ She tossed the rose aside, the flower caught by her assistant, always in the background to be available to her use. "Offering me a rose, thinking that I'm just going to… roll over or something." She took her commanding voice, as she hissed at him, nearly nose to nose, her body language shifting to show her anger with him, as she glared at him. He shrank back. "S-sorry, I thought it'd…"

He stammered, her glare intensifying. "We're still on for lessons, tonight." She said, her voice curt and sharp, as she motioned for Adam. "We've got an appointment to get to." She said, as she departed. It was pure bullshit, her whole schedule having been cleared, yet her assistant and bodyguards immediately fell in line. Her head turned slightly as she walked through the door, seeing the old grandmother talk to Jaune, whose crestfallen look seemed to be like the icing on the cake. _'Coming at me with romantic intent, pah!'_

That evening as she got herself dressed for her dancing lessons, she caught a glimpse of the woman who'd continuously chatted her up, her eyes looking amused. "I saw Sienna Khan today! She was so AMAZING up close and personal!" The glasses did a lot to hide her features a little, as they warped her face slightly. "Oh?" She spoke slightly lower than usual, as she looked at the woman. "She was giving a speech at the flower festival and then-" Sienna tuned out the speech, even as she pulled her top on a little tighter, getting ready for the lessons.

As the music drummed in her ears, the scent of flowers would not go away. _'What were you thinking, silly human? That I would find you appealing?'_ Her eyes surreptitiously slid over the young man's body. _'Unappealing. A red rose is to show your love for your partner, even a child would know that.'_ The meaning of certain flowers had long since been ingrained in every young maiden's heart. Red roses for love, with a bouquet to go with it. Several others that were often given at funerals. "Now turn." He said, and she turned. As the sweat dripped down her back, she nevertheless felt the excitement inside her bubble again, a flash of heat going through her loins. _'Time to get the pleasuring tools out again and subject myself to some extinguishing of the flames.'_

He walked to the pile of his clothes, pulling something out. "I didn't think that you'd be thinking… more than just the gesture. Silly me, I should've known." The wrapping paper came away, a bouquet appearing to her eyes. "I mean… You've given me so much." She recognized tulips, camellia, a few daffodils and a massive sunflower with some white lilies that came with it. Her assistant made a sound in the back of her throat that sounded like 'by the gods', yet Sienna felt odd.

' _You should take the first step on the dance of life.'_ The grandmother's words returned to her ears, as she took the bouquet from his hands, squashing the surge of anger that came with… perhaps too much kindness. _'If he feels bad…'_ She supposed it could not hurt to accept the flowers. "Friends?" He asked hopefully, as she took it and smelled the flowers. A cascade of scents mingled in her nostrils, enough of it to make sure that her nose would be filled with them for a while, yet her gaze met with his own. _'For a Human… He isn't half-bad.'_

"This in no way makes us 'friends', Jaune." She said, yet there was little bite in her voice, as she shook his hand. It felt oddly good, as the tingles below testified. _'It's been a while since someone gave me flowers… That's it. Just a gesture of his… appreciation or something like that.'_

As she laid in her bed that night, it was the scent of the flowers that kept her up. The words of the woman kept on playing through her mind, repeating constantly. _'What did she mean with 'he might be good for me'? I am Sienna Khan! I don't need some human to validate my existence!'_

Her scroll beeped then, the icon showing Kali's face.

' **I'll be here at ten tomorrow! Come and meet us at the terminal!'**

She read the message and groaned. Kali was one of those people that she could hardly deny, due to their shared past. _'But…'_ Her hands drifted down, as the restlessness got to her. Her eyes flicked to the nightstand, opening it up and getting her bit of male enforcement out, flicking the switch. _'This…'_ A soft shudder came from her body as the vibrations rocked her core. _'This is better than any man. It can just be turned off, and-'_ A low moan came from her mouth, the feeling of the pleasure rocking her centre coming from her body, as she let it go a little further.

' _I don't need some blonde human to be there with me, holding me-'_ The image sent tingles through her, as she shuddered, her eyes closing as she quivered, before the pleasure ceased. Her hands pulled the toy out with a wet sound, as she noticed the dampness there. _'Fuck. I probably need to get some new batteries.'_

Her hands went down again, leaving her to feel the fingers prod and poke, the sensations not as good as any pleasuring toy could give her. Her mind wandered to the young man of earlier, who had asked her out. Undoubtedly a bad choice for dating material, but he had been easy on the eyes, and yet…

The blonde mop of hair and the dorky look on his face was enough to distract her slightly, as she imagined what some Huntsman training could do to a man for a year or four. _'Damn this biological impulse, I'm seriously considering…'_

As she wiped her brow with a wet cloth and tidied her mess up, she grabbed her scroll, pressing the number for Adam. "Yes?"The voice of the man was instant, as he spoke to her. "Your coats. Where do you buy them?" The snappy question was enough, as she had firmed up her mind. Human or not, she was not going to walk around with a walking disgrace on legs. "At- Why are you asking?" The suspicion crept in his voice, as she growled.

"Get a coat that'll fit the human. He looked like… trash." The words were fierce and spiteful, as Sienna Khan, leader of the White Fang, would have spoken them. The man gave a soft sound in the back of his throat that she thought to be disapproval. "Why are you spending so much time on a human, Sienna?" The accusation showed in his voice, imagining his gaze piercing her if he were across the room from her.

"Because I need his skills to dance and if he looks like he's three steps away from being a garbage dump, it will reflect badly on me. Public image is important, Adam. We can't all work in the shadows like you and your friends." The sound of grudging admission that came from him was like a triumph, as she looked at herself in the mirror, her orange eyes looking at herself with the victory shining in them.

She was Sienna Khan and she would not be looked upon badly because some human thought it ill-fitting to wear proper clothing that'd look good.

* * *

 **Sienna Khan and the Flower Show. Wooh. There was a brief vision of catnip that passed by, but as a great cat Faunus, she is unaffected. Only housecat variety Faunus would really be affected by it, so there's that. Adam gets told to shop for one of his Edgelord Coats of Doom for Jaune!**

 **The next chapter, due in two weeks, will feature Kali and Sienna! We're also going to see Kali's perspective!**


	6. Skip-hop

**Chapter 6: Skip-hop**

 **Another chapter! Expect Kali to pop up some more as well, perspective-wise. Infrequently, though.**

* * *

Sienna Khan stood upon the airport, an umbrella held above her head to shield her from the rain by one of the bodyguards, their job being to protect her from everything, even the rain. Her fingers tapped the rhythm on her left thigh, as she heard the blaring music from one of the portable radio's, the dust-powered aircraft touching down on the landing pad, the air brushing through her hair, as she waited, ever so patiently, for the guests that were bound to arrive.

' _I wouldn't want to be late._ ' Her thoughts were even, as the back opened up and the ramp slid down with a soft hiss, the sight of the two people appearing there, dressed to travel, Ghira's broad manly chest exposed due to the garb that he preferred to wear. _'Don't think about him in the ways that you'd think of a man who was unattached.'_ The look on Kali's face was bright and cheerful, waving with enthusiasm at her.

"Siennaaaaaahhhh!" The loud cheerful shout was enough to make her feel embarrassment, even as the excited older woman skipped off the ramp, wrapping her in a big hug that made her feel embarrassed even more.

"Kali, hey!" She muffledly exclaimed, as the matronly mother of one gave a squeeze. "I missed you SO much, my sweet little tiger puff!" She could already hear the minds of the bodyguards work with the nickname that she'd gained by just being near Kali, the older woman giving an excited squeal as she rubbed her cheek to her own. Being worked over by the woman was something of a ritual of greeting, even as she found the arms around her to be constrictive and ill-fitting to her current level of comfort. "Ooh, Ghira! She smells nice! Don't you think she smells nice?"

The man who had led the White Fang before her walked up to them, his solid personality and figure like a beacon in the storm of Kali, the woman excitedly rubbing over her cheeks and making little squeaking noises, the warmth with which she just womanhandled her something that she didn't mind. _'She's more of a mother to me than a friend.'_ The man looked at her and nodded at his wife. "She does."

Kali grinned, whispering conspiratorially – " _He doesn't know that we'll be shopping soon_." – The man's ears were rather sharp though, a frown on his face. "Kali, really… We have things to do before we're allowed to go anywhere." The wife looked at her husband. "Ghira, pleeeeaaaase?" The woman batted her eyes at him, the man giving a long-suffering sigh, obviously used to the temperament of his wife.

"Alright, I'll take care of customs… It's not mandatory that both partners are there, after all…" The radiant smile on her face was enough for her to impress her husband, turning to Sienna once more. "Get in the car, tiger puff! We're going SHOPPING!"

The excitement of her statement seemed to bounce around, even as Sienna allowed herself to accommodate to the circumstances, her finger twirling in sight of her bodyguards. The wetness of Kali wasn't that hindering, as the rain still continued to come from the heavens, Ghira starting to order the attendants around, the bodyguards that had been dedicated to him looking carefully for any hidden assassins or troublesome individuals.

Once they got into the car, Kali stretched out, her soft 'ahh' loud, as she let herself unwind a little to the relaxation that the rented car allowed them. "Soooo…" The car's engine rumbled to life, even as Kali's eyes shimmered. A feeling of doom suddenly made itself known to Sienna, as she saw the spark in Kali's eyes. "What's your plan for today, Sienna?"

A flash of annoyance, as well as something else. "I'm not seeing anyone today." She said, her eyes locked with Kali's as the older woman leaned against the comfortable seat. "Uhuh… We'll be going to the upper-class shopping district, right?"

Sienna nodded, instructing the bodyguard functioning as the driver to drive them to it, Kali making herself more comfortable. "I've been thinking…" The woman started, Sienna's gut feeling strongly all of a sudden, that the topic that was going to be broached next would be something of a stark change. "You need new lingerie!"

She blinked once in surprise. Looking at the woman as she declared that so boldly, she opened her mouth and then closed it again, her eyes meeting with Kali's and then going down, at the chest of the woman, which was more prominent than her own. They slid up again, the broad smile on the woman's face showing entirely too many teeth exposed. "Out of the question!" She said, Kali's eyes shimmering for a moment. "But you'd look so cute in a nice little black set… Think of the men that you'd attract!" The woman obviously was addle-brained from too much sex…

' _Not thinking of it, not thinking of it…'_ A red colour crept up her neck as she started to imagine what that'd look like, her breathing growing a little deeper, Kali's smile somewhat impish. "You know… I'll be buying something nice for later as well. Poor Ghira has been so pent up, my little panther man hasn't been giving his wife some love." _'Not thinking about that, not thinking! This is your friend's husband that you're thinking about. You need a man… not your friend's man, the man who's happily married to her.'_

She shivered, as the depravity inside her mind started up fully, the images that were shown obviously not to be discussed out loud. _'It'll be another day or so before I can look the man in the eye again… Damn you and your wicked ways.'_ The older woman winked at her. "And before you ask…" The woman moved her hands apart, a big grin on her face. "That big." _'Damn it! Now I won't be able to stop myself from thinking about it!'_

The cackle of laughter that came from Kali's mouth was victorious, as she snuggled up to Sienna in a moment, wrapping her arms around her. "You've been a support to Ghira for a long time, I know…" The woman's voice sounded softer, grateful. "But… He's mine, Si." The sudden kiss to her cheek was enough to make her feel warm inside, as the woman's face appeared before her own, the ears on her head twitching slightly. "And you're like… like a good friend to me. You took in our Blake and taught her well."

The genuine words from the woman seemed to come right from the heart, as she looked at him. For all her joking and innuendo and blatant teasing, there was still a core of good inside Kali, at least towards Sienna. _'The day that she'd try to physically hurt a person is the day that her family's life is threatened.'_

As the car stopped and the door was opened for them by the bodyguards, Kali got out, carefully arranging her dress to not hit the dirty water on the side, the smell of water in the air heavy to their sensitive noses, even with the constant intrusion of the scents of civilization. Sienna's gaze went to the bright announcements on the holographic boards, declaring that the best deals were to be found inside, a snort coming from her as she shook her head.

"Let's get something nice to wear!" Kali announced, dragging her along without any preamble, the guards catching up with them after a moment, even as Sienna walked, Kali's excited chattering in her ear about the flight from Mistral, the distaste for Valean cuisine as well as the high architectural style that just rubbed her wrongly in the worst of ways.

A bleep was heard as she entered Victor's Secret, her ears attuned to the sound, even as she fished her scroll out of her pocket, opening up the messaging function, noticing that it was the boy again. _'Does he have to let me know of every little thing that happens in his life?'_ She couldn't suppress a sense of annoyance, as she let her gaze slide over the notification, opening it up.

' **We'll be practicing the twist together tonight, Miss Khan.'** She couldn't help but feel a surge of pride well up inside her. She had properly ensured that she was still the leader of the pack, beating the silly human with his idiotic notions of romance back into place. **'I hope you liked the flowers.'** She had actually liked them, to her surprise. Being given flowers was not something that happened often, so the presence of the flowers was something special, something that she would have cherished, had he been of the proper stock. **'They were appreciated. I will see you tonight.'**

The 'Ooh!' the Kali gave at that moment, right behind her left shoulder, told her that the woman had seen something. "Business contact?" The woman asked, as she pushed her along, the bodyguards looking at each-other and then shrugging. Kali's hand in her back, the woman directing her to the lingerie section, an attendant coming straight towards them. "Can I help you with something?" The professional tone of the attendant was something that had been carefully cultivated through the service industry's best efforts, the distaste in her eyes only visible for a moment as the two Faunus women walked in.

' _Racists, the whole lot of them.'_ Kali smiled broadly. "Of course you can! Here's my card." The platinum card of Kali could buy a lot of things without great difficulty. Being the head representatives of Menagerie allowed them a relatively flush bank account, given that their personal expenses whilst being in Menagerie would be relatively minor. The salary of a position akin to one of the Councilmembers of the Kingdoms was not inconsequential. _'Now, the global recognition of Remnant for Menagerie…'_

She had her own card, of course. Sienna Khan had not gone through the hardships that she had without realizing the effect that an outfit could have on the people. "Of course, ma'am. Please, allow me to show you the way." The attendant guided them over to the display, Sienna's critical eye looking at the lacy fabric and giving a soft clicking sound in the back of her throat.

Watching Kali move with the graceful steps of a woman who knew what she wanted was an inspiration, even with the manner of their own shopping. Seeing two Faunus women with enough money to hold platinum cards was a rarity in Vale, Sienna never really one to splurge money on things like this. She did, however, splurge money on remaining the top cat of the White Fang. Charity, the public image (recently a little more tarnished due to the Lavender woman's expose's on the increasing militant arm of the White Fang) and of course, the image of a benevolent leader in the same vein as Ghira. "Let's go and get you fitted!" Kali's enthusiasm was still high, even as Sienna found herself being pushed into one of the changing stalls, the lingerie that Kali had put into her hands looking rather… thin.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she pulled her clothes off, something that was aided through countless times of practice, standing there in only her underwear, fitting the bra. "Ooh, you look good in that." Kali said, grinning saucily as she appeared at her side, the woman's curves a little more voluptuous than her own. _'You've not given birth… Doesn't that increase your cup size by one or so?'_ The thought of producing spawn was not something that was in her mind right now, though the desire for something of the manly nature was starting to grow even more within the depths of her body.

"Now, I've got a few more…" Something white and even more frilly appeared on the pegs that held her jacket, the woman adding them to the pegs without even asking, the dark purple brassiere and matching underwear looking like a perfect set. "Sooo…" The woman leaned forward and just hugged her. "My little tiger seems to be a little distracted." The bleep of the Scroll sounded again, Sienna looking at the woman as she pulled away, the bright smile on Kali's face enough for her. "Now now, work's not important now." The Scroll she confiscated, like a mother would to a rebellious daughter, Sienna whining in frustration. _'If she wasn't someone you trust, you would have never let her that close.'_

"Be a good kitten and try those on, sweetheart." The woman was out of her stall a moment later, the absence of the woman leaving only the faint fragrance of the perfume that Kali wore behind, as the woman started to hum softly. _'She's so... pushy.'_ It was a trait of Kali's that seemed to have been wrapped around her very core by the boundless enthusiasm that she had going for her, always trying to get the best of the best for a friend. _'It's what makes her such a wonderful partner to Ghira, though.'_

The man could be a little stand-offish and blunt at times, his message of pacifistic activism at odds with her own, yet with his wife in the function of public relations, it was like the day and the night working together.

Looking at the white bra, she sighed. _'I guess it's time to play along…'_

Such were the sacrifices that she made in order to guide her people to their destiny as respected members of society…

* * *

Kali Belladonna looked at herself in the mirror, giving a soft chuckle to herself as she fiddled with the Scroll, the fingers tapping away at the screen as she opened the messaging section. Of course, with the White Fang, the profiles of the leadership would remain shared amongst all devices that they had to use in a professional capacity.

Sienna had only been the High Leader of the White Fang for five years now. Five years to accustom herself to the rule of an organization that would ensure that there would be cooperation and hope… and if Kali had managed to set herself as the 'parent' for the Scroll's functions to be opened, well… it'd be something of a little secret that she'd keep to herself. A woman had to guard her friends, right?

Sienna was really too uptight and focused on their people's plight. The girl didn't know how to relax, how to unwind… Images of the messages that came from the White Fang's regional management scrolled along her eyes, her fingers tapping several of the names that she knew, unveiling bland reports and different schedules that had been set up months before.

' _Time to check on what she's got planned for today…'_ The fingers grabbed the calendar and slid it to the side, opening it up. Seeing the entire day cleared, with a big bold – KALI AND GHIRA – there, she smiled. _'She may say that she's just a friend, but secretly… Secretly she's our little kitten._ ' As parents, she and Ghira had been involved in the rearing of their daughter Blake, with Sienna one of the friends that had travelled with them through the wilds, in order to spread the message of peace and equality.

' _Now, if only she'd…'_ The small block of time on the evening slot was filled in with a special marker – DANCING CLASSES WITH THE HUMAN -. Scrolling through the agenda further made her realize that there had been many of such events before, her mind immediately leaping to the best conclusion, EVER! _'She must be practising how to dance so she'd be a hit at the gala! Oh, Siennaaaaaahhhh! You're such a darling!'_

That she herself knew how to dance was just a side-effect of being married to the greatest fuzzy man in Remnant, their position as Chieftain and 'Arch-Wife' of Menagerie being important enough to learn at least the social decorum that was to be expected of a representative of a slice of the world. _'Ooh, I wonder…_ '

She could already imagine Sienna being on the dance-floor, readily engaging with some shadowy man who'd make her feel like the queen of the world. _'Nothing but the best for my friend.'_ Her fingers tapped on the scroll until she saw the message box, one unread message appearing there upon the display screen. "You nicked my scroll!" Sienna's embarrassed voice spoke up then, as she pulled the scroll from Kali's hands. _'Damn, she noticed.'_

It wasn't that she intentionally really was that nosy… well, maybe a bit. "Hey, I was just running through your calendar, seeing what you had going on… So…" The bra outlined Sienna's dark skin tone well, cupping the breasts from below. _'She looks nice in it.'_ "Dancing lessons."

Her pseudo-adopted-daughter-friend seemed to flush, mouth opening with a fierce retort to come forth. Kali could see that the eyes were not happy, but she knew the trick to get Sienna to lower her guard once more. "And what of it?" The bristling of her little tiger buddy was adorable to her eyes, as she poked Sienna in the side.

"Anyone in particular that you're going with?" She questioned, trying to get a grip on what Sienna's plans for the gala were. They would both be in attendance anyways, but it never really hurt to inquire. "Your… dancing teacher, perhaps?" She waggled her eyebrows, the disgusted look on Sienna's face immediately noticed. "Him? By the gods, Kali… Don't even joke about that."

' _I guess he's attached already.'_ The sad truth was that a lot of male dance instructors were already taken… But that meant that it was just Sienna who didn't get the thought of getting a boyfriend to take care of her needs. _'As if there'd be any incentive for him… The poor girl always maintains such a professional nature that you just need to shake her loose from time to time.'_ "Oh? Is he gay?"

Sienna's eyes narrowed. "Not as far as I noticed." The woman's defensiveness was another moment where Kali had that feeling of 'Jackpot' hit her, as she pounced on the entrance into the further investigation. "So you DID notice him looking at you, hmm? Not quite your type, then?" Sienna snarled, the animalistic sound deep in her throat. "Kali!" She hissed.

"He's a human. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly the poster girl for interspecies marriage…" It was a shame, though. Kali was no prude in the art of love herself, and she'd let her gaze wander a few times when there were pretty men around. Human or Faunus… A roving eye could look, but the only touch that she desired was that of her husband.

' _At least Ghira knows when to fold when I press him…'_ The power of a woman's sexuality was such that it'd cow lesser men into servitude with just a few hints and whispers. "But… What if?" She teased, trying to get more out of Sienna's statements.

"He's just a silly boy, thinking that he can woo me with flowers, teaching me how to dance just because he owes me a favour." Her eyebrows shot up as surprise went through her. _'He actually bought her flowers and teaches her how to dance? There is a story behind that!_ ' The predatory grin on her face was often thought to be dangerous by those who did not know her that well. The rumours were baseless, of course. Ghira was the pacifistic head of Menagerie. She was just… the wife lurking in the shadows, yes.

"What were the flowers?" The art of flower arrangement had been a pastime of her, Sienna shrugging slightly, dismissive of the power of flowers. "I'll show you them when I've gotten back to the loft. They're in a vase on the table. First he came at me with a red rose… and he was all like 'this is for you', as if I didn't know what a red rose means!"

' _Hmm… I'd say he was just genuinely thankful, listening to you explain it…'_ She decided to play it through another way. "Would you have done the same, had you been with someone whose company you appreciated?" She questioned, Sienna looking thoughtful. "I guess… I mean, it'd depend on whether I owed them…"

"Even if they were a human?" She pressed once more, Sienna's face turning dark. "Never." The words were stern and swiftly spoken, the dark gaze at the mere suggestion of such a thing giving her ample clues about how Sienna thought on the subject of such relationships. _'She's got to work through that.'_

"So, you're on for tonight again, eh?" She said, as she loosened the bra once more, grabbing the next one off the rack. This one had an opening for the nipples, giving a soft hum as she shaped them to her breasts, letting her gaze slide to the mirror on the wall, checking herself out and giving a little wink. "How do you think this'll look?" She asked Sienna, the flush on the younger woman's cheeks enough to clue her in to the thoughts that went through her mind. "It looks… passable." Sienna said, her gaze cast down. "Go and get changed! I'll come with some more lingerie for you! We'll be shopping for some suitable dancing shoes as well!"

In the late afternoon, a wiped out Sienna sat next to her in the back of the car, even as she ordered the drivers to take them to the loft, to get herself freshened up a little before she'd go to get her instruction in the art of the dance. Kali grinned, three sets of lingerie already bought, with two for Sienna. One which would pass as decent nightwear to take home to a boyfriend… and the other one that'll be juuuuust right for when Sienna wanted to get her claws in some hunk of boy-toy. Of course, the latter one she'd bought on the sly, without Sienna noticing. It'd be time for her to do her sneaky sneaks and put it somewhere where Sienna wouldn't notice it for the first few weeks. That'd work well enough for her. _'Oh no, you can't just ignore the attention of the men around you, Sienna dear… I can still smell the need on you. A woman of your talents needs regular upkeep.'_

Her own senses MIGHT be a bit too sensitive due to her own type being more inclined towards olfactory natures, yet she knew that Sienna had just suffered through a streak of the heat… probably with no manly company around. It was a pity, one that she'd like to see resolved. "Do you have a date for the gala yet?"

The question seemed to hit Sienna, a surprised look quickly masked by the way that her face twitched back into the neutral manner that it was accustomed to. _'That's like… nope.'_ "I can offer Ghira if you'd like… I can stay behind." The fierce look in Sienna's eyes promised ill tidings if she continued that line of thought."You are a valued friend, Kali. I would not deny you the chance to mingle with the high society."

The grin on her lips was enough, as she started to lean forward. "Then… You'll go solo?" The question was one that she hadn't asked herself, and she sighed audibly. _'Poor dear. Can't find a date to go with. She's too wrapped up in things to really want to play the socialite… She needs to unwind a bit!'_

"How about you ask that young man teaching you how to dance? There's no shame in going with a young man and showing off your skills, Sienna." This was for the best. If Sienna was going to be appearing in public, she would want to show her most wonderful side. _'The right man brings out the beauty inside her… She used to be so happy, before…'_ The lamentations of hindsight were that they always had been crucial, Sienna's face twisting slightly…

"I'll see what I can do." The woman said, as she looked at her. "We've arrived. Let's get out." The words of the woman were pointed and to the spot, as Kali got out. _'Nice place. High.'_

The bouquet in the vase standing on the table leapt out at her immediately, the knowledge of the meaning of plants filling in the blanks. _'Oh my… She's either managed to snag herself someone who knows how to convey a message in flowers… Or he's just one of those men who'll foolishly go buy some._ ' The thought of the young man who Sienna was getting wooed by sent little giggles through her, the sound making Sienna look at her with a suspicious look.

"They're nice flowers, aren't they?" She suggested, grabbing a hold of Sienna's shoulders and laying her head on Sienna's right shoulder. The younger Faunus woman was forced to look at them, not moving much, her eyes looking right at the flowers. "I guess they're nice… I mean, they're flowers."

' _We need to get you to watch some romantic movies… Hmm…'_ She licked her lips, as she nuzzled her head against Sienna's cheek. "They've got plenty of meaning… But I won't spoil that. You've got a dancing lesson to go to, right?" Her teasing tone could have set the younger woman's face ablaze had it been about a man who she actually liked. _'It's such a pity that it didn't work out that time..'_

Of course, the past was the past. For the last ten years, Sienna had been mostly single, ever since she'd taken over the White Fang from Ghira. She had been at the forefront of the Faunus Rights movement ever since she'd turned fifteen, a few years after her Blake had been born. _'I wonder what happened to the willful young woman who grabbed my hand and told me to hurry along because we had to move again due to the humans.'_

"I'll get a shower… You… do whatever you want." The Scroll was laid on the table, yet Kali did not get her curiosity sated, deciding that she'd rather do something a little different. Moving over to the bedroom, she pulled out something from a pocket, a small notepad, tearing off one of the pages and then scrawling something on it before pulling something else out of her other pocket and tucking it and the note under the pillow. _'At least I can rest easy.'_ A quick look through the drawers produced quite a few feminine stress relief aides, her fingers touching them only briefly, tucking them right back. _'And they think that it's only lonely women that use them…'_

She grinned, even as the bedroom door opened up. "You snooping cat!" Sienna said, Kali turning around, holding something up. "Look, I found your boyfriend!"

The flush of irritation on Sienna's cheeks was amusing enough for her to start laughing, her laughter at odds with the 'Put that BACK!' that Sienna shouted at her, the toy put right back where it belonged, the flush on Sienna's cheeks still there. "I'll have you brought to your husband's lodgings. You stay in the biggest hotel, right?" The nod that she gave to Sienna was enough, as she slowly let her gaze trail through the room. _'She needs to spruce this place up… It's so drab.'_

"We're going to do fun stuff tomorrow too! Ghira will join us, yep! We need dresses!" She just KNEW that her little tiger was going to be getting herself in a better position. A woman just had that sense about her friends that knew when they were going to be getting in a better spot relationship-wise!

And she just _BURNED_ to learn more about that dancing instructor of hers.

* * *

Sienna's eyes glinted as she looked at the human, already busy with getting warmed up, the soft music in the air like a charm to calm her down a little. Sienna mused that the presence of Kali had lightened her spirits for a bit, as she felt much more at ease suddenly than before. _'It just might be that I've been getting a little stressed… Shopping for that kind of stuff isn't really my thing.'_

Her eyes looked him over as he did some exercises to warm his legs up, getting ready for their dancing once more. The long coat that he'd gotten from Adam had looked… somewhat passable on him. _'With a bit of grooming, he will look decent.'_ The words of Kali came back to her, as she remembered the need for a dancing partner, her eyes narrowing at the thought. The gala was soon… too soon for her liking.

"Human." Her voice was snappy, his eyes looking up, a deep blue colour that reminded her faintly of the sea. "Yes?" He squeaked, his confidence in the manner of interaction with her no doubt beaten back to its proper humble level. "You will prepare something nice to wear on Saturday." She said, as she finalized her choice. _'If I am going to have to appear in public, then I shall use him. Dancing with someone who's obviously good at dancing and is human should quiet those dissenters who would think that the White Fang is but a terrorist organization.'_

As she let go of his hand, the sweat on her brow dripping down her nose, she realized that she'd been exercising all this time with him, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I'd say you're ready to dance, Miss Khan." He looked so kind that for a moment, she'd almost forgotten that he was a human.

' _If Kali could see this, she'd have a joygasm and then start planning our next date…'_ The image was something that she'd not get out of her mind swiftly, as she could see Jaune already pulling the chair out for her to sit down on, the bland conversation with some unlucky comments and the final dessert that'd be a horrid mess… _'But that'd be a fun thing, compared to those people who'd act all formal and stab you in the back…'_

As she got herself dressed appropriately once more, she looked at the jacket that she'd selected as her casual wear in public, slowly pulling it on. The woman who continuously chatted her up seemed to notice her thoughtful expression, clicking her tongue. "Thinking about the human?" The woman said, giving her a nudge. Sienna did not particularly feel much for discussing that, giving a grunt.

"Well, he cleaned up well, that jacket looks fabulous on him." The woman said, as Sienna and her walked from the changing room into the space open at the gym, the owner giving her a look, even as Jaune stood there against a wall, waiting for her. _'Not quite the brooding atmosphere like Adam has… But it's something different. Warm. Comfortable.'_

As she got into the car and watched him go off into the world on his own, no doubt to his rented place, she wondered briefly whether it would be much different if he were like Adam. _'What sort of Faunus would he make?'_

As she laid her head down on the pillow, the crinkle of something below reached her sensitive ears. Pulling a plastic package from it, as well as a note, she gave a snort of irritation. **'Use these with your boyfriend, Sienna! I don't want to become a godmother to kittens yet!'**

Tossing the condom in the drawer, she looked at the message on the paper and shook her head. _'So what if I think he might be just a bit better in his respect for the Faunus than most humans, eh? The day that Sienna Khan fucks a human is the day I'll admit to you that you're a better mom to me than my own was!'_

* * *

 **Sienna's got herself some new lingerie… And well, something 'exotic' that Kali figured to be right the case for her. That was… interesting. Victoria's Secret catalogues are a mess… Oof.**

 **Kali is definitely on-board with the 'get Sienna some manly company' plan. Jaune… well, he's just being dense, as is usually the case. Sienna would verbally eviscerate him the moment that he'd try something with her, so he's cowed, for now.**

 **Next time… Prepping for the big day! Kali and Ghira and Sienna! Jaune and the final dress rehearsal!**

 **Find out next time in… the dance of tigers!**


	7. Natural Turn

**Chapter 7: Natural Turn**

 **Another chapter, another Sienna… And a little less Kali! And an Arc Perspective!**

* * *

Sienna looked at the building, dressed to impress as she was. The formal suit and tie combination was a classic for its simplicity and its utility, giving the impression that she would hardly have anything to fear, the emblem of the White Fang worked tastefully on the back.

As she checked her Scroll, her eyes went to the notification of messages, seventeen pictures that had been added to a conversation that she was having. _'I wonder what she wants…'_ The message was just a simple – **'Check these out!'** **–** the images of Kali in varying dresses was something that could only have come from the Faunus woman, Sienna shaking her head at the sight.

' _Whatever…'_ She was about to dismiss the message when a picture of Kali and Ghira hugging came by, the man looking decidedly warm and comfortable to hug, Kali's broad grin enough to illuminate the room. _'It's not like…'_

She looked around, her facial features the perfect image of cool business and calmness. _'It's just a meeting…'_ The yearning inside her was something that she could not squash, pulling a small compact mirror out and starting to re-do her lipstick, the red contrasting well with her skin tone, adding a sense of beauty to her. _'I'm not lonely… I'm not…'_

Her eyes caught sight of the picture again and she mentally tried to calculate when it had been the last time that she'd gotten a hug from a man… well, an unattached man. _'You're lonely, Sienna… Don't think too much about the simple stuff. Just do your job.'_ The car behind her stopped, her attention turning to her bodyguards, who had stepped into any possible line of fire, ready to act whenever it was needed.

"Siennaaaa!" The cheerful tone of Kali reached her ears before the woman had emerged from the limousine, the look on her face excited and cheerful, the man who was her husband rising from the other side of the car, unconcerned that he would be suffering any incident, the suit that he wore something formal and fitting for the man of his stature.

' _He doesn't show much chest hair…'_ That had been one of the staples of Ghira's outfit. Broad chest exposed, just so that people could see that he meant no harm and wished for peace… Or it was a ploy to show his wife his chest hair… That could be it too.

"Oof!" She felt a bone-crushing grip on her body as Kali nuzzled her head against her. "It's so nice to see you! It's only been… thirteen hours!" Kali's voice was excited, even as the motherly woman pressed herself against Sienna, the latter showing no discomfort.

"We're in public." She said, trying to remind the woman that she should not make such a spectacle.

"Aww, but we can hug! Cuddle! Even Ghira will join in… right?" The woman's voice seemed to inquire, her husband's eyes meeting Sienna's as he shook his head.

"We must have this meeting first." His voice was stoic and with little in the way of compassion, the nature of the man being to grow more introvert when stress grew a little higher in his body. _'The silent panther and the violent tigress…'_ The nicknames that they had gained amongst their following, mainly inspired by Ghira's reasoning skills and her own rhetorical abilities had been popular calls amongst their kind.

Another ding popped, and she could see that the blonde young man had sent a message. – **'I am ready for tonight.'** That the human hadn't been scared off by the rather rough treatment spoke either for his perseverance or just for the sheer idiocy that he seemed to be wrapped up in.

If Sienna had to be objective about it, it probably was a mixture of perseverance and idiocy that spurred the young man on, enough to allow for that lapse in critical judging skills and to actually stick to the plan… But she hardly was an objective woman and a silly human wasn't much to think about.

"Ready to go?" Ghira asked as she tucked the Scroll back into a pocket. The bodyguards that had been assigned from the Menagerian embassy stood around him in a cordon, Kali letting go of Sienna and taking her husband's arm as a dutiful wife should.

"Of course." She said, the business-like mask on her face immediately, her eyes calm and without any emotion as she tried to get herself in the flow of work once more. This was for the good of the Faunus, even if the meeting would be with less than savoury individuals.

As they ascended with the elevator, the burden on her mind started to grow, memories of strategizing this meeting coming to the fore and the minutiae changing every single moment. _'If you prepare for war, you can ensure peace…'_ Stepping out of the elevator a moment later, a member of the staff led them towards the meeting room in which their meeting would be taking place.

The door opened up, unveiling the room in which the talks would be taking place. Her eyes slid over the people present, the faint hint of something prickling at the senses. _'Hmm… That smells like… Blue Orchid, Orange label?'_

The alcohol was fairly strong, yet it was something that she drank on occasion when she wanted to forget the stresses of life, to allow herself to drift off with that pleasant buzz. Her eyes slid over the faces, many of those who were entrenched within the inner workings of Vale, several of which had been frequent contacts, made use of by the general goodwill of the Faunus people to ensure that there was plenty of food for all those who had need of it.

The pale face and the tied-back white hair spoke for itself, as the sharp blue eyes met hers, the two bodyguards that stood behind the woman looking at her with suspicion, even as she approached her seat. A glass which contained the alcohol that she had smelled before was held within a gloved hand, the delicate features of the woman not hiding her heritage, the emblem of the Schnee family resting upon her left breast, the business-formal outfit that she wore something that complemented her naturally pale features.

The woman's hand lifted the glass to her lips again, taking a slow sip. The tension that shot through her was enough, as she sat herself down in the seat that had been assigned to her, the door opening once more and revealing Kali and Ghira, the Menagerian bodyguards filing in behind the couple. "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen!"

Kali's cheerful greeting was met with little reciprocation, the Faunus woman giving a soft shake of the head whilst her husband sighed audibly. "Good morning." The man said, even as he sat himself down.

The Schnee looked at them for a moment, blue eyes indecipherable, the alcohol draining rapidly from the glass, as she set it on the table again. Her head turned to one of her bodyguards, mouthing the word 'refill', the alcoholic tendency of the Schnee to drink herself into planned ignorance once more showing itself. _'You are here to conduct business, not a vendetta.'_

The woman's husband was responsible for the current policies of the Schnee Dust Company. The woman's face showed nothing but the calm exterior, her breath smelling of the alcohol that she'd consumed already, the chemical scent of her breath adding yet another dimension of distaste to it. "You do not mind if Miss Schnee is in attendance, do you?" The one who led the talks was speaking, Sienna glancing at Ghira to check his reaction to the question.

' _His word counts for more than mine. They know that.'_ In the organizational structure of the White Fang, the power of the High Leader was arguably the highest, yet the respect that the Belladonna family had from the Faunus as a whole was not something that could easily be denied. If one were speaking of political capital, Ghira Belladonna had more credit than she herself did.

"Of course not, Chancellor Moon. Menagerie and the White Fang hold no objection to the presence of Miss Schnee."The man's words had been cautiously thought about, improvised in the manner that many would think to be mere business and political, yet the man's eyes met with Kali, who gave a barely perceivable twitch with her ears. _'Codes.'_

Kali Belladonna, for her extroverted personality and her rather erratic manner of functioning, was most adept at reading a person's body language. With just a glance, she could spot whether you were really thinking about something heavy or if you were just pretending. "I hold no objection to her presence. The dialogue would be most beneficial to ensure that the cooperation between Humanity and the Faunus remains as fruitful as it has always been."

A politer way to say it really hadn't come to her. Her implication that the natural state between Humanity and the Faunus was one of oppression and revolution did not go unnoticed, as Kali gave her a look, yet did not indicate any displeasure with her words. A grin settled on her face as she leaned on the table, pulling the small briefcase with documents out with a hand a moment later.

"Negotiations can wait." The Schnee said, her eyes fierce as she looked at Sienna, seemingly directly speaking to her. "I want to know, Miss Khan…" The woman sipped her drink, the alcohol disappearing down those well-cared-for lips. "Do you see yourself as better than humanity?"

' _Why shouldn't I be better than you?'_ The direct question must have been a flash of inspiration, as it must have been on the minds of the humans. She could see Ghira give her a warning look, her fingers tapping on the table in an erratic rhythm, her mind working to bring something that would show her stance. _'Act like we are superior and ruin our credibility… The White Fang, officially, is not a terrorist organization.'_

"Do you see yourself as better than a Huntsman, Miss Schnee?" The question she threw back, the Schnee's lips twitching into what passed for 'evil smile of Schnee Superiority' in layman's terms.

"Of course not. They do their business, I do mine."The woman's voice was steady and without serious note in it, as her eyes looked at Sienna with a challenge in it. "We are all equal under the eyes of the law. Be it Faunus or human, they will receive their due process. Unless you do not agree, Miss Khan?"

"Everyone is equal under the eye of the law, yet we must not ignore the disparity in prosecution. Faunus have advantages in fields where humans struggle. I did not come here to discuss morality with you, Miss Schnee. Your husband's business practices speak for themselves." Sienna's retort hit home, the Schnee's lips pressed together in a firm line. _'Take that, you horrid woman.'_

She had little issue with the sole daughter of Nicholas Schnee, her position within the Schnee Dust Company being co-CEO with her husband, although that was more an appointment in name only as the sole heir to the Schnee Dust Company. Whoever of her children was the next heir, she did not know, nor care. "I am not my husband, Miss Khan."

Sienna's smile was a little fiercer. "The lack of moustache makes it more apparent, yes." The woman leaned forward, her bust shifting slightly in the suit that she wore, a look in her eyes that was one of irritation. "Ladies…" Ghira's voice interrupted, both gazes sliding to the Faunus man, who had decided to speak up rather than watch the cat fight.

"We should speak business." The woman said, announcing it so bluntly like that, the glass set down, empty again. "The Schnee Dust Company is willing to offer better terms." The concession that had to be made would be made, as the documents were put forward, Ghira and her looking through the copy.

' _The usual legal mumbo-jumbo…'_ The words were printed without any sort of embellishment, outlining terms for Faunus labour to be improvised from the conditions that they were in. "Within are the terms as dictated by the CEO." The way that the woman stressed the last word definitely gave the impression that the woman was not very caring about the man who she married. _'This is slightly better than half of the minimum wage…'_

The acceptance of these terms would show the people that they were capitulating, even as the briefcase was pulled open and the papers pulled out and slid over towards the pale-faced woman, who looked through the document.

The facial features Sienna paid careful attention to, watching as the woman's eyes scrolled through the terms that were drawn up, the sources that had been cited in order to ensure that the wages would be equivalent to those of humans with special incentives that came with certain levels of labour.

"We are the single largest employer in Remnant, Miss Khan." The Schnee spoke, distaste audible in her voice, her eyes looking at the paper and perusing it still, as she did not move her gaze. "Do you wish us to cease employment of Faunus with these ludicrous terms?" The threat was in the woman's voice, yet Sienna knew how to play this game.

"No, but the Vytal Accord and the Rights Revolution have signed into law that we are all equal. It would be remiss to have us work for less than the standard wage." The Valean branch of the Schnee Dust Company was something that had these terms, despite their mannerisms towards the Faunus. She knew well that the Schnee Dust Company had to apply the letter of the law, lest they face official scrutiny.

"That is true." The woman admitted, her gaze sliding up. Orange met with cold blue, a faint smile playing on the woman's lips. "Whilst the CEO will not be pleased with this decision, you argue for a point that is irrefutable." The Schnee's hand pulled the paper towards her, her eyes going to the glass that had been filled again. "Now that business is settled here, I will dep-"

The clearing of a throat was audible, Sienna feeling something in the pit of her stomach, as she seemed to see the gears turn in Kali's mind. "Are you going back to Atlas immediately?" Her friend inquired, the Schnee looking at her with a look of minor interest, as if seeing her for the first time.

"Who do I have the pleasure to speak with?" Kali's smile was broad, getting up and then stalking in her usual style around the table, shaking the woman's hand. "Kali Belladonna, wife of Ghira." The free hand pointed at Ghira, who sat there like a stone stature. _'This isn't good… Why is she doing this?'_

The woman's hand shook the Schnee's hand a few times. "Sooooo… Are you going back?" The woman asked, her eyes shimmering with curiosity.

* * *

The white-haired woman was WAY too stuffy for her liking. Drinking like she was some sort of sewer system and going back to the cold chill of Atlas to her husband… that just wouldn't do.

As she stalked around the table, catching sight of the surprise on the councilmember's faces, she knew that she had to act. The unspoken agreement between her and Ghira had been broken up already, knowing that there would be something done about this Schnee woman. "Kali Belladonna, wife of Ghira."

She could feel the muscles of the woman's hand stiffen, the skin a clammy cool sensation to her own hand, as she indicated her husband. _'Ooh, he's looking like he's ready to burst… My poor widdle panther man…'_ Her gaze looked into those eyes of the Schnee, spotting the fluctuations inside them.

"Soooo… Are you going back?" She asked, as she could see Sienna get her look of constipated 'oh no, all my plans are ruined' that she occasionally had when she decided to meet up with her friend. _'She'll need to get used to the thought of me making sure that she's happy! That's what friends are for!'_

"I had plans to go back, yes."The woman said, even as Kali's hand gripped the woman's a little tighter. "That won't do! Come to the gala with us! You can be the representative of the Schnee and we can be the Faunus of Menagerie… Oh, and Sienna as the White Fang representative." Kali paid careful attention to the way that the Schnee seemed to condense her opinion, the woman's eyes glinting faintly in the light of the meeting room, the scent of alcohol clinging to the woman's lips, to her breath.

' _You could probably breathe fire if you lit a match near her mouth.'_ "Soooo… Come. Dance. If you need to dance, my husband is more than apt!" She boldly grinned at her husband, excitement nearly vibrating her body. She could see that look of 'Oh gods, you DIDN'T just do that' on her husband and Sienna's face. _'Nothing wrong with shaking this Schnee up a bit!'_

"I admit that I…" The woman's eyes went to her drink, then back to the woman. "Ah, I seem to have forgotten to introduce myself. How impolite of me. Willow Schnee, at your service." The smirk that settled on those lips had been one of mutual understanding, as the grip on her own hand increased with a firmness that seemed to be not for playing around.

"A pleasure! There's this gala, so if you'd be willing to come, there's going to be drinks too." The woman's gaze went back to her drink, before she just threw it back, hardly showing any discomfort as she swallowed it down. _'Fish Faunus, with how much she seems to be capable of drinking. She isn't happy…'_

Kali had her sense about that. Sienna wasn't happy, Willow wasn't happy… so, they had to be made happy! If it took some dancing and mingling together to bring Faunus and human together in relative harmony, so be it! "I…" the woman's hand still was shaking a little, Ghira groaning something as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, where his glasses usually would be.

"I'll accept your invitation. Chancellor Moon, if you would be so kind as to make arrangements for me to be able to attend this… Gala?" The question hung in the air, the man who was the chancellor that led the council for the Kingdom of Vale got up. "The charity gala, Miss Schnee." The man added, Willow giving a shrug. "I'll make sure to arrange a suitable donation." The woman said, her voice unconcerned for the amount of Lien that she was going to be spending.

"Good, good!" Kali's smile was warm and friendly as she looked at her husband, letting go of the Schnee Dust Company's co-CEO's hand, nearly skipping back to her seat and flattering herself comfortably on the seat. Her husband's hand pinched her side, a sign that he was not pleased with her, yet her eyes met his own, daring him to say anything.

' _I know what's best! An evening of fun, a bit of entertainment and some relaxation!'_ The woman was stressed, no doubt. She drank so much because of the stresses of her life, which must be different from the stresses that her husband suffered as the representative of Menagerie. _'I have to make sure that I herd these little kittens to their proper rest… The poor dears look so tired… Oh, well… I make sure that my Ghira gets pleeeenty of rest… But Sienna? Willow? They look like they need a good evening off their schedules. It's too much of an annoyance to be always so tense.'_

She would be the best caretaker to them. It was what a mother did for those who needed help, after all.

* * *

Sienna's eyes blazed as she sat in the limousine that had been assigned to the embassy, the traffic around them shifting slowly under the careful driving of the chauffeur that had came with it, their bodyguards perfectly arranged in the limousine to offer protection.

"What exactly were you playing at, involving the Schnee?" She growled at the woman, whose face held the innocence of a child, as if she were merely playing at the contest of wills that had nearly ensued. The terms had been outlined, the paper just had to be stamped and the Schnee had backed down, either out of pride or out of some sort of realization.

"But Siennaaaaahhh… It's not going to be fun when you just grump and drink." Kali said, her eyes sparkling slightly. "You just look like a grumpy cat, like my Ghira does." The husband was oddly silent, his eyes closed in introspection.

"It was not… urgh." Sienna wanted to hit something, only to get the stress out. Having to deal with a Schnee, who was undoubtedly going to be imposing some harsh penalties as 'new labour codes', she knew that there would be some sort of political fallout from this action that she had made.

"She was right." The man said, stalling any further argument. "Who was right?" Kali asked, as Ghira's eyes opened. "You were." The man said, voice sounding like the wise panther that he was, his gaze going to Sienna.

Sienna felt put on the spot, like her father was looking at her and her mother had gallivanted off yet to another corner. "Sienna, you may not like Miss Schnee, yet it is important that she is seen at the function. Kali, you might be impulsive, yet you had seen it as well, right?" The meeting had lasted for three hours in total. Four bottles of expensive liquor had been drank by the Schnee, whose outward appearance was still unruffled, undoubtedly due to the amount of training she had received in the art of composure, her eyes showing a sense of pained acceptance of her fate.

"She looked so bad, Ghira… Like you when you heard that there'd been a massacre…" Kali's voice was soft, Sienna feeling a stab of something in her heart, emotions that she had rarely felt coming to the fore. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and then thinking about the way that the Schnee had acted.

' _I fight for what is right. We deserve the respect of humanity for what we have suffered… Even if some people have to get hurt. A Schnee would never be able to…'_ The look in the eyes of the woman came to her, when their gaze had met for a moment upon that final goodbye after the meeting had concluded.

Blue eyes that held depths, their pale luminescence speaking of pain and loneliness, circumstances that could be attributed to the gossiped about spat between her and her husband. _'Is it so bad for the woman that she drinks in order to forget the pain?'_

Sienna would not feel sorry for the woman. She was the wife of the enemy, the one who bred more of those little Schnee bastards who would be slaying good Faunus for their sick Semblance. Inherited Semblances… pah!

"Just… Don't do that again, Kali." Ghira said, his voice sounding as calm and collected as it could. _'Sense, it has been restored.'_ "She just needs a friend…"The woman sounded calmer, as she let her eyes rove over Sienna, a teasing smile on the woman's lips. "Just like Sienna needs to show me her boyfriend."

Ghira's eyebrows rose as he sent her a look, Sienna's gaze fastening itself on Kali. "He is NOT my boyfriend!" She hissed, her anger showing in her tone.

"Suuuure… and I'm your lesbian lover! Tell me another thing!" Kali's eyes sparkled as she leaned forward. "There is nothing between us but the teaching thing. I need to learn how to dance."

Kali's grin was broad as she licked her lips. "Ghira, we should check out her boyfriend. He will be good for her!" The man sighed deeply, placing his hands on his hips. "I made your father a promise, Sienna… " The man sounded like he was genuinely considering it.

A spark of fear lit itself in her heart. If Ghira was going to replace her father in a conversation with Jaune, her whole act as the tough and rough Faunus Leader of the White Fang would be seen as a joke. A Faunus and a Human… what madness is this?

The man's face showed a smile as he patted his wife's shoulder. "Enough of your jokes, Kali." The woman pouted. "It isn't a joke. She's been getting sexy hidden messages from him! I've been tempted to just send him a screenie of her in something sexy, but she's not let me near her Scroll again." Ghira's face seemed to cloud over, as Sienna let her gaze rest on the woman, restraining the urge to say something about the audacity of the woman for immediately going to interfere in her relationship (not that it existed, of course) with others.

"Kali…"Her husband said, Sienna feeling a little heartened by the way that his tone was strict. "That Sienna has her boyfriend hidden from you does not mean that she is willing to be open about her relationship towards others." The man's smile was that very same smile that would give her thoughts, as she watched him shift slightly in his seat. "Don't worry… Your secret is safe with me." The man nodded, as if he had just given her permission to date.

"Y-you!" She screeched at a louder tone than intended, Ghira's chuckling loud, as Kali smiled. "What you do is your own business, Sienna. I will restrain my wife." Kali's head turned to her husband as she pushed herself against him. "Right here, dear?"A look that she sent at Sienna, her face teasing. "But what of Sienna… She can watch, right?"

The man snorted, the sight looking different with the business suit that he wore. "No more jokes, Kali. Leave the poor girl alone."

Sienna supposed that this would be it for now… Her own sanity, destroyed by one meddling friend and her husband.

* * *

He looked in the mirror, the fancy suit that he had rented from one of the cheaper rental stores packaged still in the plastic wrapping, his eyes looking at his reflection, trying to put himself in the proper mindset to do as he must. _'I don't understand why she'd want to have a practice run…But if this is some important thing for her…'_

She was a mystery to him, most of all. A young woman who might be a few years older than him, one of the workers of an organization that worked for Faunus Rights. Whether there was something about those rights to be said, he didn't really know. As he checked his appearance once more and pulled the coat a little tighter around him, he mentally thanked Adam for being nice enough to get him in contact with the store that sold the coats. It wasn't like those coats could easily be bought for a cheap price, after all… but the discount that he got for simply being a 'friend of the revolution' was something that he knew he'd earned through getting Miss Khan those lessons.

Sure, she was a little stressed out and grumpy at times, acting like she bore some huge burden and was the sole possessor of wisdom in the world, but she was still a very interesting young woman to hang around with. A little like his oldest sister in nature, despite the age probably being a little far off. _'She couldn't be much older than twenty-three or something. Big sis always said that women like a man who can dance…'_

Grabbing the bag that contained his gear and his cd's, he checked whether everything else was present, lugging it onto his shoulder and then walking out the room, the room that he'd rented in a bad part of town, apparently. The Faunus that lived here were mistrustful of others, he'd found. Being called 'human' had not been uncommon, Miss Khan's favourite term to refer to him not uncommon at all… as if it meant something special when it was spoken by a Faunus.

It was not bad, if you looked at it. The owner let him rent the room and didn't complain about his erratic schedule. He walked down the street towards the gym that he'd gotten the space to practice his dancing in, wondering briefly whether he had enough time to run Miss Khan through the final steps.

As he entered, he caught sight of the owner of the gym, a man who gave him a nod that seemed to hold some smidgen of respect, a young Faunus man passing him by with a grunt, as he walked towards the changing rooms. He shed the coat and then started to get himself ready, checking himself in the full-body mirror for a moment, twirling around. The tie looked a little stuffy, yet he knew well that it would be the finishing touch if he'd have to woo a girl. _'A nice girl with a good personality and maybe some skill in the kitchen… That'd be nice.'_

If he'd voiced such a desire, his sisters would have beat those desires out of him, yet he knew well that a good girlfriend would at least know how to cook… Which was why his mother and he knew how to cook and his sisters generally avoided the kitchen in most capacities unless it was time for dinner. _'We could make lasagna… I wonder if Miss Khan likes lasagna…'_

She was a Faunus, so she undoubtedly had some preferences as far as food went. His oldest sister Violet (often nicknamed Violent because of her temper) had often said that the Faunus had a taste for some good old-fashioned human sausage, though why she had snickered after giving him a look and the ensuing commentary by his older sisters, was beyond him.

"You're here." The tense voice of Miss Khan came from behind him as she stood there, her body clad in a dress that looked hardly better than the summer dresses that he'd seen his younger sisters wear when they were trying to look like a less affluent family. It was only through the recognition of the garment's state that he had realized that she'd dressed up in a less than impressive dress, just to get used to the feeling of dancing in it.

"Are you ready to get started?" He asked, offering his arm to her, ready to adjust his steps for her. Her progress in dancing was good, even as they moved with the practised steps of a pair that had just started to get used to each other, his height contrasting to her shorter stature, the woman's steps elegant and catlike in their manner. Her eyes met his own for a moment, their orange gaze mystifying.

' _If I didn't know better, I'd say that she's entranced by me… But that probably won't happen. I owe her too much, and Viv says that you shouldn't shit near where you eat… or something.'_ He twisted her around, as the dance dictated, her body moving with a grace that was near supernatural, her heels clicking on the ground, as she moved with a dancer's grace to pull herself close, leg in the air and a little twist, pulling him along.

"Good little human." She said, with a hint of something that could be seen as pride surfacing in her tone, as she took a deep breath, her eyes looking him over.

She stepped away then, taking a moment to gather her breath, the movements of dancing not being too difficult for him, yet the breathing having a different stroke to it than regular breathing or breathing when exercising.

"You clean up well." The woman's voice was pinched and with little inflexion as she looked him over with a look that he'd seen in the eyes of his mother if he'd done something she did not approve of, as if he were but a hunk of meat to be dissected and put to work in some sort of dish. Her orange eyes looked sharp and dangerous as she seemed to consider something for a moment, nodding her head and then pulling something out of the small bag that she had. "Keep this with you. Do not be late."She said, her voice strict.

' _If I liked women who bossed me around, I'd have stayed at home… Not like they'd want the man of the house to be that far away… but ever since Dad died…'_ The mission had been a failure. The memory of the man who had raised him had been tied to the shield and sword that he now held as his inheritance. Violet and Vivian had been Huntsmen for a while now, earning their keep, their mother a housewife with little impact on the world, save for rearing eight wonderful children.

"I will, Miss Khan." He said, as was expected of him. _'She demands a lot from the people around her. Her boss looks like the type of woman who would accompany her everywhere, with how strict she seems to be with the schedule, almost like a professional manager of sorts…'_

"Good human." The woman said, seemingly dismissing it from her mind, clicking on her Scroll for a moment, the flash blinding him. An image on the screen was shown, his face clearly outlined. "A picture. For the pass." The woman said, as she looked him over. "You will do. Sit."

She pointed to the ground, demanding that he sit down. His eyes looked up at her as she stood there, the dress outlining her womanly features as much as it seemed to be more intimidating, her eyes sharply peering at him.

"You will not embarrass me in front of the people. This charity gala is important for my people. You messing things up by being a racist douchebag, doing as you humans are wont to do… You'll never get into Beacon. My signature is on that document. I can withdraw my permission whenever I desire." The words that she used were deadly serious, an intimidating look sent at him, her eyes burning with passion and a fierce determination.

"You will be present there at the right time. You will be there to open up my limousine door and greet me as you would a partner. You will not act like some juvenile child, despite your age, Mister Arc…" Her eyes met with his, a deadly challenge within. Jaune thought that she looked particularly striking, despite the dress that she wore.

Her words were sensible, yet she seemed focused on his own failure. He couldn't help but feel the pressure on him, as she seemed to regard him with the worst of suspicions. "I'm sure it won't be that bad…"He tried to mediate, only for a feline hiss to come from her mouth. "Won't be that bad? Human, if your face isn't on VNN by Sunday, I'd be surprised."

What the Vale News Network had to do with the charity ball he didn't know, shrugging. "I'm just here to dance with a pretty woman." The words were inspired with the confidence that he had been taught to have by his father, to show a woman that she was in his eyes, something that was to be cherished. _'Yeah, confidence is the key!'_

Her face schooled itself, despite a splattering of red on her cheeks, her eyes glinting in a way that many would be uncomfortable, as her finger poked against his chest. "Do NOT flirt with me." Her bristling voice seemed to contain an infinite loathing, her eyes glistening with that anger, as she inhaled and exhaled, her chest doing interesting things as she did. "Do NOT shame me in front of the people that we meet. You are there as my dancing partner, not as someone who makes any sort of waves in the world of politics."

Her eyes held that intriguing quality that seemed to be some sort of burning passion, as the finger prodded against him once more. "You will remain silent, dance and not mingle with any people." He felt indignation rise up inside him, his mouth opening up to protest. "You will NOT. This is politics. Your presence alone is enough to raise eyebrows."

She used that as a threat and he bit his tongue. His eyes looked into hers, trying to convey the message that he wanted to send her, even though her attitude seemed to be harsher now, he could spot the twitches of her own nervousness. _'She's nervous about something.'_ "Of course. I won't do something that'll cast you in a bad light."

She seemed to take the answer as it was, her eyes looking into his own for the longest of moments before she sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "I shouldn't have…" The woman looked so tired, as she sat down opposite of him, the mask of strict control shattering. _'She looks exhausted.'_

He got up, walking to his bag and then checking the time. "What are you doing?" She hissed at him, her voice rearing back like a venomous cobra, anger infusing it with the greatest fury that she seemed capable of mustering. He looked back at her and then shook his head. "Expose your shoulders. I'm giving your shoulders a massage. You're too tense."

It worked with his sisters. Violet often complained about the backaches of stress, about how her body needed some time to recharge. Indignation showed on Sienna's face as she opened her mouth, ready to cut into him with her words before she caught herself. "No funny tricks, boy." Her voice was sharp, even as she exposed her shoulders to him, the dress sliding down a little to her lower shoulders. The bra that she wore below it was a fitness bra, so it did not show anything untoward.

He rubbed the muscles to warm them up a little, feeling the tension in them. Smelling her scent, a floral one that seemed to have many different floral patterns in it, he allowed himself to think a little on this woman, whose acquaintance he had only held for near a month.

She was willful, decisive and without any sort of pity for the plight of others that did not adhere to her personal philosophy. When he had been with her at the flower show, he had seen the side of her that held the speech, her words chosen perfectly to speak on the equality of the Faunus and humans, with the hope that she had for the world… It was not always so cheerful when she spoke. Her eyes held the stresses of a life which had seen dark days, he felt.

His hands pressed to the tense muscles, the woman's ears twitching slightly on her head, the human ears showing little response, yet the Faunus trait she had showing clearly a quiver, her slow exhale halting for a moment as his fingers kneaded the muscles in her upper back, right at the base of the neck.

He could feel the tension in her back as he massaged the muscles, her voice sounding a little weary as she spoke. "D-don't think this makes you a-anything s-special." The low groan coming from her mouth was something that seemed to be an instinctual reaction, her whole body shuddering visibly.

"I'm just trying to give you a little bit of relief… My sister's had terrible back pains because of…" He coughed, not sure to explain politely that his sister was the proud owner of a rack of frontal bumpers that'd be the envy of most movie stars. Whatever they fed you at the Huntsman Academies, it certainly did wonders for the beauty of the people eating it.

"Ahh?" The Faunus woman made a sound, as she seemed to contemplate saying something. His eyes caught sight of the skin under his fingers, the contrast of her darker skin to his lighter skin, the oily texture of the skin showing to him that she definitely applied plenty of products to her skin. "You should perhaps have a bit less skincare on your back." He suggested, her head whipping around.

"And what is wrong with that, boy?" She hissed, her eyes blazing. It was like looking at his elder sister when he'd made a boneheaded comment, those eyes full of fury and anger. "Did you think I was making myself pretty for someone like you, human?" Her anger seemed to override the decency that she had, her eyes blazing with the fury of a woman who possessed the skills of a practised Huntress, administrator and general orator.

"No, no, I just have…" The eyes pierced his with a fierce gaze, as his hands stopped on her shoulders. "I've got sisters…" He said, her eyes softening a little, as a melancholic look came to her face.

"I… see." The woman said, her voice softening as if she had indeed gathered herself once more, trying to recompose herself to such a level that she'd be functional again.

"Do you often massage women?" She asked suddenly, turning her head back again. Her ears were perked up and twitching, as she bent forward a little so that he could reach the spots lower. "N-no?" He said, as he tried to recall anyone else who he'd laid hands on in this manner… and finding none.

"She's going to fucking love you, I just know it…" He could hear her mutter, displeasure in her voice shown, yet an awkward fondness also equally present. "I guess I'm the first non-family member that you've touched." Her voice sounded like it'd regained some grit, as she gathered herself once more.

"Y-yes?" He said, hesitating to say more. Whatever she was getting at, he didn't quite get. Her head turned, fixing him with a look. "Well? Come on, continue. My back hurts." The woman's snappy tone was not to be refused, as he put his hands back to work, trying to work some gentle sensation into the woman's back once again.

As she rose from her seated position, she rolled her shoulders, turning around to him and giving him one of those smug grins that both riled him up and let him feel that she was on an entirely different level. Her finger tapped against his nose. "Just another day and we'll be out of each other's hair." Her face showed her confidence as she said it, the admission for Beacon's students in just a few days after the event that she went to.

He could feel something inside him break as she said that, the manner in which she'd automatically dismissed any chance of this strange relationship that they had from continuing as it had been. He had not minded her occasional snippy commentary on totally obvious things, her words not having any great impact, because he could feel that she wasn't that bad…

It was more intuition than anything else. If the world did not have a few bad people in it, it would not need heroes to save it… but Sienna, when it came down to the barest details, was focused on her people first and herself last.

' _She's going to be some sort of superstar… With her attitude and drive, there's no way that she won't be someone who's known to everyone.'_ A lot of the Faunus seemed to know her, yet her boss seemed to keep her on a very short line. Even that Adam guy, who was broody and dark in his emotional expression at the best of times, had nothing but positive things to say about her, if he wasn't talking about how much he missed his girlfriend. Blake, such a weird name for a girl to have… but it wasn't like he was any different with the Valean translation of Yellow.

"I can text you from time to time, right?" He inquired, the woman's mouth opening immediately with what seemed to be a no, before her eyes narrowed and she struggled with the thought. Her body language shifted slightly, even as she stood before him, a grin on her face appearing, as her finger tapped his nose once more.

"Earn the right by doing as I say, human." Her voice held a teasing tone, her eyes looking a little happier, even as she rolled her shoulders, a soft sigh coming from her mouth, mumbling something about having needed to try something out like that before.

It was at least something that she was willing to consider, which was a good thing in his book. Too much stress made women look like they always had something against you.

' _I guess she must be some important businesswoman then, working pro bono for a Faunusitarian organization… That's pretty cool. Maybe I'll encounter her when I've graduated from Beacon on a mission.'_

Little did he know at this time, that his troubles with Sienna Khan were just about to start.

* * *

 **Another chapter! Sienna's business-side is explored and Kali's unconventional measures in order to fix what she thinks as not suitable are exposed! The readers get a look at how Jaune thinks! Right now? He thinks of her as a sort-of-friend, because he never seemed to have much of an issue with the Faunus before in the canon.**

 **Of course, Sienna being the paranoid Faunus Rights Leader that she is, would have held doubts about the massage at first… But her reasoning will be explored in the next chapter! There's a reason why, and like with A Grimm Tale, perspectives may not align with the perceived opinions of the characters.**

 **It does however show how comfortable Sienna has gotten around Jaune. Adam would never have touched her or given her a massage. Jaune is… frighteningly ill-educated about some of the societal issues. (Him not quite knowing Remnant's history in the canon was… pretty telling. I'd imagine that in the span of 80 years, there'd be some coverage. We still learn of WW1 and WW2 in schools.)**

 **In two weeks the gala! It'll be fun! Schnee shall be seen! Kali meets Jaune! Jaune meets… generally more interest… and Sienna is going to show you all why she consented to the massage.**

 **Leave a review if you've enjoyed the chapter!**


	8. Turn and Twist

**Chapter 8: Turn and Twist**

 **Another chapter! In it, the gala! Wooh! The tabloids will love it! (probably.)**

* * *

She looked at the Scroll in her hand, the number of the caller well-known to her. "Sienna speaking." She said, her voice robotic in nature as the one on the other end started a barrage of questions, her eyes looking at the time.

"The red dress. No, I haven't gotten time to do that. No, I don't need them. Please keep them for your persona- No! Out of the question! You will not harass the human! Kali, no. You will not. Don't make me shut this call down, woman." The irritation built up inside her as the Menagerian bodyguards gathered around her, Kali already emerging from the hotel that she was in, the Scroll flicked off, and the connection shutting down.

"Ah, there you are!" Kali's voice was happy and cheerful, her husband as silent as the grave when he followed her, his introverted manner allowing him the leisure of appearing like an actual leader. His eyes looked at her with a question in them, as she turned her head.

' _No sign of the human yet…'_ She knew that she should've instructed someone to come and fetch the human, because it wouldn't do to be late. The Schnee would be finding something off about it and the heckling would continue for a while.

' _She's a drunk, so no doubt she'll be doing something scandalous… Why some humans decide that alcohol is the best option, I'll never know… At least I can maintain my sobriety relatively well.'_ She'd only gotten so shitfaced drunk a few times in her life. _'I can handle a bottle of Vacuan Vodka.'_

"Human, you are not allowed here." The voice of one of the Menagerian bodyguards reached her ears, her gaze turning towards the commotion as she could hear the faint. "But I'm invited! She told me to come here to pick her up."

The blonde hair and the tall figure of him showed clearly that he had dressed to impress, the tuxedo that he wore looking better on him than the other clothing that he wore. At least he hadn't brought Adam's 'edge-coat', which would have clashed horribly with the sophisticated appearance that he would try to cultivate. "Go on ahead." She said, as she locked eyes with Ghira.

' _Try and contain your wife.'_ The look that they shared was something that had happened more than once, Kali's incessant exuberance something that one had to get used to. "We have to get going. The Menagerian delegation is expected earlier than the White Fang. Proper representation must be done."

Sienna could see Kali's pout, the growled – "But I wanted to see Sienna's booooy!" – like a call for attention, yet the limousine pulled away swiftly, leaving the bodyguards to still block the blonde's advance. "It's alright, let him pass through." She said, knowing that her word was now the law.

Her status as the leader of the White Fang put her on a roughly equal level. Since Ghira had already left, she was now left in sole command, the bodyguard looking at her for a moment before stepping aside. "Of course, Miss Khan." The man said, as Jaune was allowed past him.

"Ah, bodyguards? You must be someone important then." It wasn't really sinking into his skull that she _was_ someone important, the interactions that they had only on the surface to be kind and benign. She knew well that there would be something to prove for him, his talent with dancing enough that she'd entertain him.

"You look nice." Her eyes narrowed, looking up at him. _'It's a shame that he's no Faunus…I like my men a little taller than me.'_ Her eyes traced down, giving a brief glance to his attire and how it fit him. _'Ah well…'_ She looked sternly at him still. "'You look nice.'… Is that how you greet every lady you date, or have your balls decided to move to Vacuo and left you a woman?" Her comment was crude and with a bit of bite, the genuine anger and irritation inside her building up. She did not do _'nice'_. She was Sienna Khan, High Leader of the White Fang and a bad-ass bitch who would do her best to make sure that the Faunus would get the respect they deserved.

"H-hey!" He sounded indignant, even as she prodded her finger against his chest. It made his suit look a little cheaper than her own red dress. "Did your sisters tell you to treat a woman you're taking out to a fancy dress gala like she's just a sister?" He shook his head, a look on his face that told her enough. "No, it's more that…" He seemed to look away, as if he was about to unveil some nasty piece of history. "'You look great, Miss Khan.' That's what you should've done, human." She corrected him, deciding that the effort might serve some poor girl well in the future.

"Women like to be flattered. They like to be told that they are pretty." She said, though the reason why she was telling him this was unclear to herself. Her eyes looked into those guileless blue eyes, feeling a shudder race itself down her spine, though her self-control caught her before it would be visible in her body language. "So, I shou-" She pressed a finger to his lip.

"You should shut your face and be a good date. You're a human and I am a Faunus. We can't ever be together… and I am not interested in the slightest." She knew that if she did not set boundaries with this human, he would do something silly like… serenade her at night with some horribly off-key serenade about how awesome she was. She could already hear him mewl on about how Sienna Khan was the greatest in the world. It was true, of course… but that didn't mean others would appreciate his efforts.

It wouldn't be that bad to be serenaded to at least once in her life… Just not by him. "Miss Khan has a strict leash on the human…" One of the bodyguards remarked to one of the others, whilst she fixed Jaune with a strict look. "Boy, come." She snapped her fingers, the limousine pulling up to the side, a chauffeur with a set of rams horns growing from his face opening the door up for her. She got into the car without a moment spared for Jaune's comfort, her attention going to her Scroll as it rang again, Kali's number visible once more.

The human fit into the car beside her, her mind already theorizing about the different political goals that she would have to achieve by making a public appearance. "Siennaa! Are you with your partner yet? Is he cute? Ghira is mopey, so I decided to give you a call."

She mentally sighed, even as she straightened out. "We are on our way." She said, all business-like, her attention going straight to the screen, where Kali looked to be ready to get out of the car. She could see Ghira's broad arm visible there, the man silent. "Please find me when you arrive. I'll keep some drinks aside for you." The thought of Kali drinking alcohol brought a smile to her face, as she looked at the image of the camera. The woman was funnier when slightly drunk… because she'd be quieter than before. "Put that away, Kali. You are no longer a teenager talking with her friends."

Ghira's steady voice intruded on Kali's enjoyment, as her head turned to the side. "Someone isn't getting any milk from this cat tonight, hmmhmm!" She smiled broadly at Sienna, whose face was stony suddenly, imagining just what the lewd woman would be referring to.

She cast a subconscious look down at her breasts, which were humble and not as large as Kali's own. The fact that the woman had given birth had been something that had enlarged her cup size, no doubt due to the hormones that had become like a raging torrent throughout her body. "Kali!" Ghira's voice sounded scandalized, as he did not like Kali's expressive side. She smiled, forgetting for a moment where she was.

"You look beautiful when you're smiling." Jaune's voice interrupted her thoughts, a blush coming to her cheeks before she caught herself, realizing just who had said it. "I heard a man's voice! Boy-toy! We're having a talk! I won't have you seize Sienna and take her away from me without being vetted!" Kali's voice came from the speaker, the woman looking fired up.

Sienna cut the connection then, as she saw Kali getting excited already, mentally calculating to see how much effort she'd have to expend in order to keep Kali contained as she was. She hoped that the woman would remain restrained in her exuberance, her attention focusing clearly on the divide between the public façade and how her internal workings were. _'You're in control. The purple-haired tart will be there undoubtedly, putting the microphone into my face like it's try-outs for InterFaunus shoots, like some hopped up druggie out for the latest scoop if she can't spread her legs.'_

There was little love lost between her and Lisa Lavender. The woman's aggressive manner when reporting the 'truth' of the White Fang had been something of a thorn in her eye, as the woman's accurate statements were twisted with a little pro-human propaganda. _'The Schnee should be taking most of the attention anyways… Willow 'Wine' Schnee drinks so much that there's always a pitcher or two emptied when she's close by.'_

The business-like façade was up immediately as the limousine slowed down, the chauffeur looking at her through the rearview mirror. "We're pulling up to the red carpet, ma'am."

She checked her reflection in the mirror. Lipstick still suitable, eyeshadow properly applied, a little bit of volume to her lashes and her appearance the picture-perfect image of a strong and independent Faunus woman. _'I can do this. Time to dazzle them all.'_ She thought, before she sent a glance to Jaune.

' _He said something whilst I was talking to Kali…'_ She could faintly recall a comment about being beautiful, her attention running over his body for a moment, assessing the dangers within. He looked non-threatening, even as uncertainty flashed on his face. "Get out, offer me your hand to get me out and know how to smile. You're a representative of your race, whilst I am one of mine." A gross simplification of the true nature of affairs, yet she did not have the time to fully speak to him at length about representing his people. "You will be asked questions. If you see some purple-haired woman who will ask you questions, ignore her, even if she's offering money. She's a no-good junkie for a good story… and you're not going to give her one."

Money was of little issue for her, as she was funded by the White Fang, the hopes of the Faunus resting upon her shoulders, her own salary going to the funds to support the Faunus living elsewhere. _'That should put the human into the proper mindset. Wait… why is he smiling?'_

"You're just telling me to act like a gentleman, right?" She nodded, suspicion in her eyes as he smiled at her warmly still. _'He looks… ugh, I'll give him the compliment that he's looking… nice. Yes, that should do it. A little bone to the human who has escorted me. That's what all pets like, don't they?'_

"Indeed." She said, without further ado. Her hand grabbed his own in the manner that she'd been taught, feeling the lacking hand of his own. _'Soft like that of a baby, not a single sign of working out or with the weaponry…'_

He was going to die. She knew it. Somewhere in her heart, she felt a pang of something that might be a small shred of sadness for the loss of a young man, yet she would never admit to it. "Time to go." She said, as the door was opened for them.

The flashing lights of the camera's caught her eye immediately, the shutters clicking and flashes lighting up the space around her, as Jaune got out first. _'Clumsy, yet not too shabby. His body is taller than mine, so it would make sense that he would be a bit awkward.'_

The hand that he extended to her she took, being pulled out of the limousine. The flashes of the camera got even more intense, as she wrapped her arm around his in the manner of a lady being escorted. "Miss Khan! An interview, please!" "Miss Khan! Is the human next to you your partner?" "Young man, are you together with Miss Khan? What is your stance on the White Fang's current presence in Vale?!"

"No comment." She said, her voice heard audibly over the sound of the shutters of the cameras. Her mask was in place, the smile coming as easily as it always did, the practice working greatly as they advanced. She could see hesitation on his face, as he seemed unused to the many cameras and the media attention. "Young man, the VNN needs to know…Are you sleeping with Sienna Khan? Is there going to be a reparation of the current affairs between humanity and the Faunus?"

The purple-haired tart was right there, looking like she'd just come from some back alley, the purple outfit that she wore (She wouldn't call it lavender) looking to be tailored. Jaune's pace ceased for a moment, her steps adjusted in a flash of an instant, to prevent her from tripping over her heels. _'Thank the gods that I have perfect balance.'_

"W-well, that is…"He seemed embarrassed, his free hand rubbing over his scalp. She nudged him slightly with her hip. "No comment, Miss Lavender." She said in a clipped tone, the woman's eyebrows rising slightly, as she pulled a business card from between her breasts. "My number's on there. If you ever feel like… talking to the media."

The sound of another limousine arriving was enough to distract her, as the reporter disappeared from the spot she was at, leaving Jaune with the business card in hand. "Miss Schnee!" The calls started, her gaze cast back to the sight of Willow Schnee getting out of her limousine, any sort of male accompaniment absent. _'Her husband's in Atlas, breaking the spines and wills of the innocent Faunus…'_

As they entered the large gathering hall, she immediately became aware of the eyes of the crowd resting on her, her arm tugging Jaune's arm a little closer. "Tuck that card in your pocket." She instructed, her voice barely higher than a low whisper. "Make sure that you act like a good date should." Her lips pushed itself to the smile that she used for political purposes, her attention shifting immediately to the performance. "Miss Sienna Khan… What a pleasure."

A socialite with her hair up in a brown bun stepped forward, her body language speaking volumes about what she thought of the Faunus as a people, the distaste curdling around her like spoiled milk. "Miss Saffronia, a pleasure. I trust your husband is well?" The politeness in her tone was forced, yet she knew that this woman held danger in her. As wife to one of the largest industrialists in the Vale Kingdom, she would not have an insignificant input on labour, as her husband preferred to ensure her happiness.

"Arton is fine, of course… And who might this strapping young man be?" Her attention was riveted to Jaune, Sienna clearing her throat slightly. "My escort for the evening. A young man who is quite the dancer, even if I do say so myself."

Jaune blushed slightly under the praise, as he looked down, his cheeks still hot. _'You should not be feeling so good from mere compliments. It isn't as if I offered you the keys to my underwear…_ _Not that you'll ever see that.'_

"Thank you, Miss Khan." He said, his voice polite and with the respect that she had earned. _'Good boy… Perhaps you may call me Sienna… in due time.'_ She was soft on the boy's nature, as he went along with her without a hitch. A good follower could prove useful, if given the need. "She is one of the most impressive women that I know." He said, politely speaking… yet missing the forms of address. _'He obviously wasn't taught how to move in high society.'_

"Ah, I see… And your stance on the White Fang, mister…" The woman guessed, Jaune smiling brightly. "Jaune Arc, at your service." He seemed to be the kind to really ensure that the other person felt at ease, the woman's body language shifting slightly. _'Favourable response. I wonder…'_ She squeezed his arm lightly. "We should get going, Jaune." Her voice stressed his name, as she looked at the woman. "We have to meet up with the delegation from Menagerie. It has been a while since I saw Chieftain Belladonna and his wife."

To the public, the relationship between Sienna Khan and the Belladonna's was one of successor and predecessor, with only minute contact between the two. Their friendship was a well-guarded secret. "Of course, Sienna." The woman's personal address was rankling, as her eyes stayed on Jaune the whole time. She tightened her grip a little. "Come on, Hu-" She coughed, to disguise her slip-up. "Jaune."

She had nearly called him 'human' again, the social impact of such a statement no doubt casting the entire organization in doubt about its legitimacy. Spotting Ghira like an island in the ocean of political mongers, she stalked towards him, dragging Jaune with her. His steps were a slight moment slower than her own, as Kali's eyes seemed to turn into little sparkling stars as she saw the two of them.

Her friend turned to her husband, starting to excitedly talk to him, several of the Faunus around her looking faintly uncomfortable to see the woman making all sorts of gestures in the direction of the woman who led the White Fang.

"So… This is the boy that you've brought to us, hmmm?" Kali's voice was a low purr as she finally reached the husband and wife duo, Ghira's expression hardly changing a bit.

"It is a pleasure to meet with you, Chieftain Ghira and Lady Kali." The panther Faunus' eyes glinted, as he looked down at her, his tall stature making him look like he was some wise king of sorts.

"It is a pleasure, Miss Khan." The man's observance of formality made him sound like it were just another day at work, the political effects of the gala around them undoubtedly to be felt later on. _'I don't think Kali is going to- Oh no…'_

"Sooooo… You're the boy-toy that's been teaching Sienna how to wear herself out, hmmm?" Kali's voice was a teasing, inquisitive tone, registering only to the ears of those Faunus who held sensitive hearing, her eyes looking at him with little sparkles. _'Don't mess this up, human… Kali is awfully shrewd if she wants something to happen.'_

"Ah, eh…" He stammered, not sure whether to reply to that. "Ghira, you're in the way." Kali ordered her husband, who stepped aside, turning away. "He's just a big grumpy cat, y'see. Big and fuzzy and so adorable that I'd just want to eat him up like a fishy treat."

She could see Ghira's ears twitch slightly, the easy manner in his stance firming up immediately. Kali had a habit of blurting out stuff that was private, after all."Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, the ladies love it." Kali's eyebrows rose up as she grabbed his hand. "A pleasure. Kali Belladonna, wife to the big grump over there."

Sienna felt the pit in her stomach become bottomless, as her hopes fell in, as Kali's smile broadened. She just KNEW that this evening was going to go down in the history books as a bad one for her…

* * *

The boy-toy was… taller than she'd expected. A young man who taught Sienna how to dance must be somewhat special, if she'd allow a human to touch her and teach her. The skill of dancing was something that she knew, through ample exercise in such manners as a matter of course as the wife of a Chieftain, yet… the young man seemed innocent enough to be as open as he could be towards her.

' _There's no prejudice in his appearance or in his nature, it seems. An open-hearted smile, genuine interest in his eyes.'_ A sniff of the air confirmed what she'd already conjectured. _'At ease around Faunus, perhaps a little nervous thanks to the sight of the press… but all-in-all a good man.'_ Her voice was light, as she pulled Jaune closer all of a sudden.

She looked up at him, a bright smile on her face. "You'd look good enough to eat, Mister Arc… This lady likes it… But only because she's married. If I wasn't…"Her fingers tapped over his chest, a gesture that she loved to do with Ghira, her eyes twinkling with the mirth of a woman who had seen a fertile ground to plant some seeds in.

"Kali!" Sienna's scandalized voice was enough of a reward for now, as she stood on her toes, feet lifting from the high heels that'd been bought especially for the event. "I think she likes you." She whispered conspiratorially to him, watching the blush on his face increase.

' _Aww, the human boy is all embarrassed.'_ Sienna's cheeks were a shade darker than before, that look of 'You have embarrassed me again, Kali!' so endearing that she gave a little 'aww' internally, as her fingers traced over his chest, up to his chin. "There'll be dancing soon." She said, her right eye winking at the young man, who turned a little redder in the face.

' _Much better than that Adam boy… He seems to be such a shy one…'_ Jaune was different from Adam Taurus by the manner in which they conducted themselves. Adam's charm and his righteousness were at odds with how Jaune's initial impression of being a shy, awkward young man, was… yet they had a charm of their own. _'If I was a few decades younger and unattached… Alas…'_

She was happily married, after all. Looking at a cute guy wasn't illegal but she would absolutely not commit adultery. "Soo…" She smiled broadly.

"Have you two had sex yet?" She could hear her husband choke on his drink, her husband's face appearing in the corner of her eye. Sienna's face was red. "Kali!" She hissed, heedless of her decorum.

"It's an honest question. I want to know whether we've got to prepare for little kittens." Sienna looked ready to go on a verbal crusade, her husband's gaze disapproving of her line of topics, even as she watched the face turn red.

It was probably due to Sienna and Jaune being turned away from the humans that nobody saw the embarrassment, even as her hand brushed over the underside of his chin. "M-miss Belladonna?" He said, his voice sounding adorable. "Kali, stop it." Her husband's voice was stern as he spoke, her pouty look at him.

"I'm just…" His hand grabbed her wrist. "Do not embarrass Sienna." His smile was warm. "Even if she dates a human, she will still have her obligation to the White Fang."

Sienna's eyes were smouldering pits of orange flame as she locked eyes with Kali. "Miss Belladonna, please…" Sienna's boy-toy whimpered, her hand having patted his side. "Be good. Dance with Sienna. " She encouraged the young man, even as her husband led her away.

"What were you thinking, Kali?" Her husband said, his voice holding a tone of urgency. "I like him. He's shy like a blushing virgin and our little Sienna needs a bit of that. She's been disappointed so many times in the past." The other Faunus in the gathering were politely ignoring the sight of the husband and wife couple, their conversation as private as it was… possible to be. "I don't…"

The man grumped, as he looked back at Jaune and Sienna, who seemed to be engaged in a conversation. Straining her ears, she could catch the tail end. "… think that it'll be happening, human." Jaune's face was red as a beet, as Sienna'd put her hands on her hips. "I can do much better than you."

' _She really hasn't gotten over her pride… You're going to drive men away if you act like the alpha of the pride, Sienna…'_ Her eyes could see the young man's body language shift, as resignation came to his stance. It was pathetic to see. "He'll be good for her, though." Her husband's voice was like a fresh breeze to her mind, as she looked at the young man standing there opposite of Sienna. "He looks to be a bit shy, yet he doesn't seem bothered by Sienna's status. That's good. That girl is too bothered by social stuff to really focus on herself."

Kali grinned. "Remember that one time, nearly ten years ago?" Sienna had blushed like a shy virgin when she'd been caught. It was a horrible little mess, but as a mature woman, Kali had stepped in. Of course, her husband was more than lenient with the woman, even though she'd literally been caught with her pants down. "Don't embarrass the poor girl." He said, chiding her for the remembrance.

"Sure… but if I see- Oh, hello!" A pale-haired woman stood there before them, a glass of fine champagne in her hands, her eyebrow raised slightly at the sight of the two of them. "Good evening, Chieftain Belladonna, Miss Belladonna." The formal tone of the woman, her two bodyguards suited up behind her, was something that seemed to never change, the white dress with the Schnee's family crest emblazoned upon the front, below the breasts, still clinging to her shape. Her eyes were narrowed, as the glass was raised once again.

"It is… moderate." The woman said, unbidden, as her gaze ran through the crowd of socialites and other such individuals, Kali detecting a heavy cloud of alcohol around the woman, knowing that the woman had already drank more than plenty to get in the mood to come here. "It'll be fun, Willy." The nickname slipped out before she'd known that she'd said it, her husband's grip on her arm suddenly like steel. _'He can be so PUSHY when he's in public...'_

"Willy?" A giggle came from the woman's mouth as she swayed slightly, turning a little to face Ghira. "There'll be a dance soon. Would you accompany me on the dance floor, Chieftain Belladonna?"

The man looked between her and Willow, as if judging who would be having the right. "Allow me to respectfully decline, Miss Schnee. We of Menagerie do not wish for any sort of issue to brew between us and the Schnee Dust Company. I have also promised my wife the first dance." The polite dismissal of the offer was another wasted opportunity. The Schnee shrugged, as if she had expected it already. "A pity. I suppose I will have to-"

The woman's head turned to the delegation that they had just abandoned to have a moment of quiet talk together, her attention seemingly riveted to Sienna and her boy-toy. "A human with that Faunus?" She mused out loud, as she sipped from the champagne glass, finding it suddenly empty.

"Pour me some vodka, Antonio." The Schnee commanded, the indicated bodyguard taking the glass and pouring some vodka, the liquid in the glass swirled slightly as the man handed it back. "Here you go, Ma'am."

"That young man…" The Schnee said, her lips spreading slightly. "Is he dating Miss Khan?" The predatory glint in the woman's eyes seemed to increase as she slammed the glass of vodka back easily, like she was just getting ready, the cloud of alcoholic breath almost visible, as her hands adjusted the dress a slight bit.

"I suppose…"The woman's smile was something familiar to Kali, as she'd seen it before. A woman who held power knew that smile, as the Schnee stepped towards the delegation. "She's going to mess with Jaune a little to rile Sienna up." She whispered to her husband, watching as the Schnee came towards the two, tapping Sienna on the shoulder, as if it were a mere collegial acquaintance that they had.

Sienna's face turned ugly for a moment, the Schnee's face not changing one bit, another glass handed to her. "So… may I inquire whether your dance partner will be available after the first dance?" The question hung in the air, Kali spotting a gamut of emotions surging across Sienna's face, clearly outlining her thoughts on that subject.

"Certainly not." The harsh statement from Sienna was enough to make the Schnee's lips curl, as her attention went to the blonde young man. "Surely he can decide about that himself… Unless of course, you are in a relationship together?"

"We… We're not together, Miss." The Schnee's eyebrow rose, as she licked her lips slowly. Kali recognized the gesture, as the vodka disappeared down her throat once more. _'Her alcohol capacity is like a fuel tank or something…'_ The woman smiled at the young blonde man. "May I have a dance with you then, Mister…"

"Ah, my name's Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, some ladies love it, some don't. Oh, and it rolls off the tongue… apparently." Kali could see Sienna's heel slam down on his foot, the soft curse cut short by him, as her eyes balefully looked at the Schnee, distrust visible in those eyes. _'She is trying to rile you up. A scandal here and the White Fang will look worse… Compose yourself.'_

"Willow Schnee." The woman said, waiting for a moment as Jaune shook her hand… and waited a little more. When no flattering comment came, Kali spotted the woman's head tilting to the side. "You are an odd one, Mister Arc." She said, as she smiled faintly.

' _That smile is one that you'd rarely see on a Schnee.'_ Kali would have called it the 'I am interested' smile if she'd invented it herself, yet there was something genuine in the Schnee's eyes. "I look forward to dancing with you, Mister Arc."

Kali moved along with her husband, back into the good sphere of influence of her people, the Menagerian delegation looking at ease with the Chieftain once again among them, the Schnee making efforts to leave. "My lady Schnee, Miss Khan. It is a pleasure to see you."

The smooth voice of the headmaster of Beacon came easily to her ears, as she slowed her pace, as her husband did the same. The headmaster was accompanied by his deputy, whose prim and proper looks were even stricter with the dress that she wore, the elegant white garment fitting her modestly, with no sign of overt skin being shown, her eyes a piercing green that seemed to assess the young man before her, dismissing him immediately.

"Headmaster Ozpin." The formal tone of the Schnee was polite and surface-level warm, as the woman looked at the man with a smile on her face that seemed near-genuine, except that her eyes were frightfully cold. "A pleasure to see you, as well as Professor Goodwitch." The woman's tone was cool, yet Kali smelled a story behind the cold reception. "Headmaster Ozpin." Sienna did her little spiel of respect, the man nodding slightly in acknowledgement as he did so, his eyes glinting faintly behind his glasses.

"Mister Arc, was it not?" The headmaster addressed the young man, who stood at attention immediately. Kali could detect a hint of tension that went through him, something that did not escape the Huntress and the Headmaster either. "P-professor Ozpin. A-a pleasure t-to meet w-with y-you!" He seemed ill at ease around the headmaster, who smiled and nodded.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mister Arc. I hope to see you fresh and early during our initiation. Professor Goodwitch here shall be one of your instructors, provided you pass the tests before you." The nervous look on the young man's face made her feel sympathy, even as the musical ensemble started to play some soothing chamber music, as the gala officially started and the dance-floor was cleared.

' _Time to see how well my little tiger kitten has learned her dancing skills…'_ She moved with Ghira towards the dancefloor, spotting several couples already getting ready to dance. A slow dance as the starter, compared to the quicker dances that would start.

Ghira's size made him perfect to lead, which he did, with smooth appeal. _'I am so lucky to have you, my strong Ghira.'_ She watched Sienna move with him, as her eyes followed their movements.

' _Not a bad dancer at all…'_ Professor Goodwitch and Headmaster Ozpin just moved past her line of sight, the woman having some issue with keeping herself in the proper pace, enough movement that it'd make for something a little different than Hunstman training. _'She looks well-practised, yet the Headmaster seems to have a talent for the dance.'_

As the dance finished, she could see the Schnee move in immediately, the… was that the seventh glass of vodka that she'd had thus far?, kicked back after a moment, grabbing the blonde boy-toy's arms. "I like him." She said to her husband, who gave a noncommittal grunt. "He'll be good for Sienna."

* * *

The older woman was… maybe in her early thirties or something? He didn't quite know how old the woman was, save for the fact that it didn't quite gel between her and Sienna for some reason. _'It's not like it's going to be a difficult thing to manage… I mean, it's just a dance. This Schnee lady seems to be able to dance pretty well._ '

That her arms were wrapped around him possessively did nothing to detract from her skill at the art of dancing, moving with better grace than Sienna could have mustered. The only minor issue that he felt was that she seemed to be a heavy drinker. _'Vivian drinks on occasion, but never…'_ He had been raised properly by his mother, after all. Drinking did not factor into things.

Sienna caught his eye, the look on her face temperamental, yet the white-haired woman seemed ill-desiring to let go of him. "Another dance, Jauney." Her voice was like a drunken slur in his ear, as her mouth pressed close to him.

He wasn't going to cause a scandal by refusing her. Sienna had made it abundantly clear that whatever he did, reflected back onto her. This was a high-society party, with plenty of influential people in attendance. As he guided the Schnee lady through the steps of a quicker Waltz, he noticed that her eyes seemed to be ill-focused, her manner slightly swaying. "We're done after this dance." He said, trying to muster that false courage, even as the woman gave an 'uh-huh.', his ear feeling the stress, as the alcohol on her breath stank like chemical cleaner.

He let her go off, her steps towards the bar area without any sort of grand issue, save for the stagger back and forth, the seat that she claimed immediately granting her the attention of the bartender. She started to drink heavily again, that much he could see.

"Enjoyed your time with Willow, Jaune?" Sienna's voice sounded angry and biting, ready to say something fierce to him, yet restraining herself. Admirably so, he would have called it, yet there was a danger in those eyes. "Is she one of your opponents?" He inquired, not sure whether it was the right guess.

Spotting Kali and her husband, the tall and silent Ghira, moving through the couples on the dance floor, he could feel the exuberance build up inside the Faunus woman. He had thought her a little strange when he'd first run into her, introduced by the way that she so enthusiastically asked whether he and Sienna were doing… that… but she apparently acted like that with everyone she met and had some fond connection with.

The older members of the delegation, from some place called 'Menagerie', if he didn't mishear it, had spoken about how that was just a 'Kali thing', Sienna's own silence on the matter undoubtedly there to keep herself in that position of power that she'd somehow amassed.

The organizational structure of this 'White Fang' thing that Sienna was attached to definitely meant that there must be some boss above her that was riding her hard. Sienna's stressed sighs on occasion meant that she must be under some insane amount of stress, no wonder, what with all these terrorists roaming about.

He had asked Adam about it a few days ago. His speech about 'the injustices done to the Faunus around the globe' as well as the 'destiny that they were due' had sounded impressive, yet the man could not answer the question about what the Faunus would do when they were finally on top of the world, with no resistance. The look of contemplation had been a welcome change from the man's usual gruff demeanour, something that Sienna herself had noted as well, inquiring after it after apparently receiving a 'long call' from the man. _'He's not such a bad guy if he could get over his spite…'_

"More of a competitor." The woman said, her face sour-looking as if she were looking at something. "There will be another dance or two… before we can be excused… Well, before YOU will be excused." The anger in her voice was enough, as she looked between him and the woman drinking herself into a stupor at the bar, the pity in his heart rising as he saw the look on the woman's face.

"Don't you pity her?" He asked, Sienna's eyes widening, as she fixed him with an impressive glare. "Why should I?" She nearly snarled at him, the mask that she put on every time when she was in public placed back at the last moment, saving him from the worst of her verbal ire. "She's obviously got problems."

"Oh?" Sienna's tone sounded intrigued, yet he caught the trap that she'd laid immediately. The hesitation in his voice was absent, as he spoke, still looking at her. "You should see how she drinks. All in one gulp, not even savouring the alcohol." The woman snorted, a sound that was as natural to her as her demeanour when with him.

"Give me a good glass of vodka, Jaune." She commanded, pushing him forwards. "Make sure it's a full one." He remembered when he'd ran into her, her breath smelling of alcohol as well. "How about we go together?"

He suggested, the Faunus woman giving him a tense look before she shrugged. "Oh well, not like we're going to be getting much more done right now anyways…" Whatever plans she seemed to have seemed to have been dashed, no doubt due to the manner of his suggestion.

They sat down at the bar, one of the few people already drinking. "Could I have a jus d'orange, please?" He inquired, trying to remember the formal code for orange juice, the bartender not batting an eyelid as he placed a glass filled with freshly squeezed orange juice in front of him. Jaune thought that he'd seen something being added as the bartender made it, yet he shrugged. It'd solve itself. Not like they'd serve alcohol to minors, after all.

"Vodka. Make it strong." Sienna growled at the bartender, who did his job without any sort of comment about her tone, Jaune's eyes catching a glimpse of the white-haired woman looking in their direction, her eyes a little redder than before, as if she'd been drinking too much… or her emotions were getting heavier.

' _You can do this, Jaune. Keep it together, make sure that Sienna is happy and ensure that she's still vouching for you.'_ The hope inside his heart continued, as he watched Sienna drink, the Faunus' body shifting slightly with the burn of the alcohol. "You want to be drinking buddies?" The woman asked, his hand grabbing the orange juice and moving it to his lips, even as the Schnee's arm wrapped around Sienna. The acidic taste of the orange juice was a little bitter for some reason, as he felt a pleasant warmth spread through him. _'This tastes a little off… Maybe they added some older oranges to the mix?'_

Like a startled cat, the Faunus woman's ears twitched and her eyes went wide, looking at her. The smell of alcohol was like a visible miasma around her, as the woman's red-rimmed eyes looked at her. A pretty woman she was, as she sat there, yet her countenance definitely showed the signs of heavy drinking.

"I would rather not." Sienna's icy response came a moment later, her voice barely higher than before, as she let her gaze rest on her drink. "I would like another, bartender." She said, her voice sounding stern.

"One for me too, barkeep. Put any orders from the kitty-bitty on my tab." The woman's address of Sienna as 'kitty-bitty' made her tense up like it's been some sort of grievous slight, the woman's eyes looking at the pale-haired woman, who seemed less in control of her faculties than before.

' _Perhaps this is just her way of coping?'_ He mused, as Sienna fixed him with a look, a faster-paced song coming up of the Early Vale renaissance. "We're dancing." The woman said, as she escaped the grasp of the white-haired woman, who leaned against the bar counter.

He felt bad for the woman, who obviously was trying to forget something ghastly. "What's the deal with her?" He asked, as Sienna allowed him to lead, her delicate steps following the order that had been set at their instruction's start. "She's a known louse, drinking and partying it up because she's married to a man who has a heart of ice."

The frown on Sienna's face seemed to be an indicator of how high it was on her. "If I could get that man alone…" The dangerous edge to her voice promised ill tidings for the man, who seemed to be the focus of an even greater hatred from Sienna than the woman had ever been.

' _Whatever the deal is with them, I am glad that I'm not involved.'_ He made a sound in the back of his throat, as he guided Sienna around, their steps as light as they could be. "Faunus are just like humans, but a bit more special." Sienna snorted audibly. "Like a kid with a mental issue… But I guess my present company isn't excluded from that part."

That hurt… just a little. The orange eyes were on him, as she inclined her head upwards. "Of course… I suppose you have your redeeming factors." The smile on his face was enough to make her eyes narrow. "And again you smile at me as if I've just given you a puppy…"

' _Puppies are nice, yes… I don't see the hang-up.'_ The woman shook her head. "You're a strange human, Jaune Arc." She said, even as suddenly, she was plucked from his hands and the panther Faunus woman who had asked so many uncomfortable questions appeared to take his hands, whilst her husband took Sienna over from him. Sienna's gaze met with his own, as he began to dance with Kali, the woman's steps better than Sienna's ever were.

' _She has practice.'_ He thought, as Kali leaned forward. "Sienna likes it when you rub her ears, right at the base. The Faunus ones, mind you. She's awfully ticklish when you tickle right below them… but be sure not to hurt them by going in them. They are awfully sensitive… but do they turn on a woman if given proper attention." The woman's smile was radiant, as she moved with him. "Why are you telling me this? I'm… I'm not…" He asked, unsure of his own train of thought, as Kali's gaze went to her husband, who danced with Sienna with little difficulty, her fingers threading with his own.

"You might be what she needs, Jaune." Her face was so open, so casual about things, that it was nearly a surprise to find that he was listening so intently to her. "Even if you don't think so… That girl has always been suspicious and nervous around humans." The woman leaned conspiratorially forward, her mouth close to his ear. "I think she wants to like you… Woman's intuition, top secret."

He snorted. "She's just helping me out." The woman's eyebrow rose, as she pulled apart a little, her legs sweeping over the spot where he was at, a little jab at him, pulling him along. "She'll need to warm up to the idea."The woman said, her amber eyes sharp. "Pull out your scroll after we're done. I'm putting in my contact details." The woman did not give him an option, as she took the lead during the dance.

"You're good for her. It's been years since she's been able to converse with someone, showing that much emotion." Jaune did not know what to make of that comment, unsure whether he WAS a good influence on Sienna or not.

She was the woman who had granted his dream of becoming a Huntsman, who had given him the hope of being accepted into Beacon, the prestigious academy that produced heroes that would go down into legend. He glanced at Sienna, watching her tense form as their eyes met. Orange eyes met with his own, as he could feel Kali's hands tug him a little closer. "It's a tension, Jaune… Don't fight it." The woman smiled at him.

"My husband and I have been watching over Sienna since she was young… She was friends with my husband and well…" She smiled. "She keeps a hard face up in public but in private… She needs a friend." The hope within the woman's voice was enough to make him feel a surge of emotions.

' _If she needs a friend, I will be that friend.'_ She was a woman who had been curt and to the point with him, not playing any games or other such things that his sisters had warned him about. That she'd be interested in him as a boyfriend or something did not even register as a blip on the radar with him, as he knew well the age difference between the two of them.

"Mishter Arrrkh." He could smell the alcohol in the air as he was hit from behind, a set of hands grabbing a hold of the rented suit, as someone brushed against him. "Hmmmhmmm…" The hands that grabbed his suit tugged at it. "Dansch with mir, Arc." The drunken antics of the woman let loose that patience and replaced it with irritation. "If you'll excuse me…" He said to Kali, who nodded.

Turning around and feeling the hands go into his jacket, he felt the touching of his upper body include a grope of his sides, around the ribs. "Stop that." He said, his voice strict as he could manage it. _'Think of her as your sister… if she's being a brat, act like you're there to stop her.'_ The woman's eyes locked with him, the blue-eyed gaze unflappable, as she seemed to sober up, slightly. "You're going to get a glass of water, go to the bathroom and freshen yourself up. That is no way to act."

He was aware that there'd been a hush, as the woman clutched at him, about to say something. "D'y'know who I am?!" She said, her voice a little louder than his ears liked. "I don't care. You could be the Queen of Atlas for all the world cares." He said, pushing her along, towards the ladies' room. "You're getting yourself cleaned up and sobered up, or I swear to the Brothers I am going to put you over a knee and make sure that you can't sit right for a day or two. That's just... wrong."

It was hugely impolite to do so, but he had just about had it with this drunken louse of a woman. Her eyes teared up a little, as the bodyguards moved in, one of them opening the door up, as a woman came out, taking one look at the drunken lady as she lurched into the bathroom. "Well?" He looked at Sienna, who stood close by, looking amazed, for some reason. "Get yourself in there to make sure that she doesn't drown herself in the toilet or something. Come on, chop chop. Get going."

His bullshit meter had just about exploded, the drunken antics of the woman being so out of line that he'd sort of stopped caring about her words. His sister drank herself into some sort of coma sometimes and he'd had to drag her by the hair out of the toilet because he'd needed to use it, so his tolerance for the antics of drunken people was very low.

"Woah…" Someone mumbled, as Sienna passed him by, a glare given at him right as if he was the worst individual here, the sound of retching coming from the toilet. "Oh no, you don't!" A womanly voice shouted, which he faintly recognized as Sienna's. There was a small echo.

The sound of a door being nearly pulled off its hinges was audible, the blonde professor passing by and giving him a look, something that resembled a smile on her face. The stern look on her face was unchanged, though.

"Decisive, Mister Arc." The headmaster said, leaning on his cane, his gaze resting on the door to the ladies room, even as the chatter picked up once more, the events in the back of the people's minds, yet not fading as swiftly as they were.

"I have a sister, sir… She likes to drink alcohol." He said, by way of explanation. He wondered where the courage had come from to resist her actions, as the woman seemed to be well taken care of now. "That woman, accosted by Khan… What a shocker." "But her partner is worse. So rude…" "Ozpin is talking with him now… Do you think…"

"Vivian Arc, yes?" The man inquired, his heart feeling like it froze in his chest. "Class of 71 AGW, proficient in the dual blades, yes?" The man's knowledge of his sister's fighting style was something that he would know. "Yes, Sir." The man smiled, patting his shoulder.

"It is not in our martial strength that true power lies, Mister Arc. If it were about mere strength, one would need to amass the greatest warriors of this world… It is instead the strength of character that we select to bind us all together… Only in strength, will we gain nought but destruction of our very core…" The man looked absent-minded for a moment, as if remembering something from the distant past.

"It is instead our bonds with people, of unifying friend and foe, that makes us what we are." The man's smile was warm, as the crowd moved on once again, dancing occurring once more. "Glynda, is lady Schnee alright?" The deputy emerged from the ladies' room once more, as she pushed the glasses further up her nose with a finger, the strict look on her face barely changing.

"Miss Khan is ensuring that Lady Schnee does not suffer ill effects. The amount of alcohol that woman has expelled is… much." The woman did not go into further detail, as the door opened up and a pale-faced Willow Schnee emerged once more, her lipstick ruined, half-way pulled off.

"Off you go." Sienna growled, letting go of the Schnee, the bodyguards supporting the woman swiftly. The woman gave what seemed to be a grateful smile at the Faunus woman, even as she made a few swift gestures. "Something to cleanse the throat with."

Another glass of alcohol was fetched, the woman's mouth moving swiftly to acclimatize that alcohol, her eyes resting on him for a moment. "We need to talk." Sienna's voice barked at him, as his eyes were riveted to the sight of the Faunus woman, some vomit on her dress. A faint purplish glow appeared around the vomit, the woman deputy of the headmaster's hand moving slightly, the vomit disappearing out of sight. _'That is… handy, I guess. Whatever trick she did to make that happen. Neat.'_

Sienna's face was weary, as she dragged him along without even minding the stares of the people, her face a mess of irritation and anger. "Do you know what you just did, you silly, dumb… Urgh." The frustrated sound that came from her throat was full of her annoyance, as he didn't understand fully.

"She was being a nuisance, so I did what any brother would've done." The woman's face showed incredulity, as her gaze went back to the general direction of that drunkard, then back at him. "As any brother woul- wha?" The woman said, her eyes narrowing.

"She is not your sister. She is married to the Faunus equivalent of the devil! You humans, always banding together and putting the good Faunus down because of your 'rules', we shou-" He cleared his throat and she shut up, her eyes still angry at him.

She realized apparently that she had been on the verge of shouting at him in a semi-public venue, his eyes meeting with hers. "We're all brothers and sisters. I've got seven sisters. Adam is a little odd but his heart is in the right place. He cares. He looks up to you like an older sister… and well, you are called Sister Khan, right? Doesn't that make us all brothers and sisters, children of humanity and the Faunus?"

Her expression turned fierce, as her face made several faces, hopeless emotions flashing over her face as she seemed to try to come up with a response, her face settling on anger. "And you…"

She turned around, her shoulders shaking slightly as she seemed to lose control of her faculties, the anger inside her eyes a frightening thing, as they blazed like miniature suns. "You have to be a-" Kali interrupted the moment by hugging her, squealing something that overpowered the woman's sentence, surprise flashing on the woman's face as the Faunus woman's husband came over as well. Jaune couldn't quite hear what Miss Belladonna was so excited about, but he caught the words 'action' 'man' and 'tickling the pussy', to which Sienna seemed to have little response to.

"Miss Schnee has decided that she is going to go home." The man said, as he drew himself up. "She would like to thank you personally for interceding on her behalf, Mister Arc."The man's eyes met with his own, the sternness of his gaze something. "You can network, Sienna. The Schnee is no longer an issue."

Jaune did not know what sort of vendetta those two had, yet he witnessed Kali holding up a familiar Scroll in her hand. "I put in my number, dear…" The woman looked at Sienna with a look. "I'll ensure that Sienna doesn't get upset with you… The political fallout of that was…"She made a show of shaking her head with a smile.

"The political fallout of that is that my escort manhandled the Schnee and basically shoved her and me in the same bathroom. If it wasn't for the Goodwitch woman, I'd have dunked that rotten woman face-first into the toilet myself." Jaune wasn't sure whether it would be something that he should be concerned about, as this was a one-time thing, he hoped.

"We're parting ways tomorrow, Miss Khan." He said, Sienna's eyes looking at him for a moment. "If you… if you get into trouble, you can give me a call. I'll see what I can do." The woman said, her voice soft and calmer than before.

' _That's nice of her, even after I completely bombed her evening… Whoever that Schnee woman is, it must be some important position that she has to herself.'_ He hoped that Sienna would be alright. No matter the way that she treated him, she was still his benefactor. "Thank you." He said, Sienna's face a little tenser than before. "How about we go out for dinner tomorrow? A bit of a last meal before I step into the lion's den, eh?"

Her angry face appeared, mouth opening, yet Kali was quicker. "You don't exactly say that to a feline Faunus, I'm afraid… Some would take it as an invitation to sleep with them." The friendly smile on Kali's face was enough to clue him in that she wasn't too offended by it. "But by all means, if you do…" Her smile was catty, as she broadly grinned. "Use protection. Our little Sienna doesn't need to have kittens just yet!"

Ghira's hand smacked against his face as he shook it, trying to consciously keep himself from groaning aloud and failing miserably, his eyes looking at him with a look that reminded Jaune faintly of his father. "Good luck, Mister Arc." The man said, as he shook Jaune's hand, the greeting that had been forgotten before due to his wife's exuberance being something that Jaune took note of, as well as the strong grip that the man had. "Thank you, sir."

"I'll accompany you." Sienna said to him, her face showing clearly the difficulty that she had at containing her irritation with him. Whenever she was with him, it seemed like she was just about ready to erupt like a mountain full of angry Grimm lava or something.

As they went to the front entrance, he could see the Schnee woman standing there, leaning against one of her bodyguards, a messy stain on the front of her dress. Her eyes spotted him, something on his face drawing her attention apparently, as she pointed. "Jusht the man I need." She mumbled, audible from a distance, as she approached, supported all the way through. "You're g'nna scort me h'me. 'Snot far, I live."

The woman's inebriation seemed to be even worse, as she staggered slightly, another giggle coming from her lips. "Ma'am, it is not feasible for-" The woman made a sound like Sienna would, angry and full of fire. "I'm your bossh. I tell and you do." The man shut up, knowing undoubtedly that to go against the woman was to invite the plunge of his own career into the mire of unemployment. "As you wish, ma'am." The man said.

Jaune did not have a good feeling as he looked back at Sienna, who rose to her full (arguably not so impressive) height, her eyes blazing. "I will see you tomorrow for that dinner, human." She said, her head turned with a loud sniff, as she seemed to accept the lot. "You will get the details tomorrow." She said.

* * *

She was _NOT_ mad. She was _NOT_ upset. She was most of all NOT jealous. Nope. She was Sienna Khan, leader of the White Fang, a woman who had just been ordered into the bathroom to help the mortal enemy of Faunuskind's wife out of her mess, with some blonde witch assisting in getting the mess cleared up.

She watched as the Schnee woman hugged the blonde's arm like he were a cherished lover, a stab of something in her lower regions telling her that it was not fair, that she could have been the one. _'With just a bit more courage, you could've been the one that he'd be taking home…'_ As the purple-haired tart often seemed to labour under the misconception that White Fang gatherings were massive orgies of debauched intent, she knew that it would be a bad political move to do so, her own style of being powerful different from Ghira's.

Kali's impish smile fit her face well as she rejoined the woman again. "Happy now?" She growled at the older woman, who nodded her head. "The Schnee is out of the picture… you can mingle and do your job and the boy is homebound." The woman hadn't heard of the fact that Jaune would be detouring to Willow Schnee's current place of residence. _'The woman's going to barf all over him, no doubt… Willow Schnee is a lousy drunk… When she's relatively sober, it gets dangerous in negotiation, yet when she's smashed…'_

She could already imagine how much liquor the woman must have consumed over the day. Since the ball was held in the evening, the woman known as Willow Schnee would have had several bottles of wine and polished those off with an extra helping of vodka or something as strong as that. It was well-documented in the gossip rags that were spread around the world that the Schnee matriarch was a heavy drinker on most social events, leading to some form of scandal eventually.

' _I don't care if he goes home with her, if he's burying his mining drill in her dust mine or whatever… he's just a silly human who was entirely out of line!'_ the dark side of her mind whispered something else to her, something that she tried her best to ignore.

' _He gets along with Adam… which is a feat that no other human has managed to replicate. Even with Adam's views on humanity, it seems that he is the sole exception… Is it really that bad a press that I brought a human with me, who ordered me to make sure that the Schnee woman was alright?'_ From a political standpoint, it was not the greatest move to make, yet his age would work in his favour. A seventeen-year-old was not expected to know the social standing of others, nor would he be held liable for damages easily, as long as it wasn't something intentionally malicious.

With the right tools, this could be a victory for Faunus equality. Kali certainly seemed to think of it as a victory as she was positively vibrating with amusement and joy. "It shows just the right compassion of Faunus working together with humans in order to show the world that we're not like the extremists." Kali's little murmur was picked up by the delegates from Menagerie, their crowd looking more than a little pleased.

"And he was like 'Sienna, go and help out Willow Schnee.', like he was ready to go and be some gallant hero… you sure know how to pick your boyfriends, Sienna." The woman smiled eagerly, as if she were about to fish for more information. _'He's just a human, someone who I use to get the dancing skills. When he dies, I'll be rid of him… Beacon's initiation has a pretty high mortality rate, after all…'_

Her mind told her that he might do great, that he might survive… but her mind was now switching into business mode. As she began to strategize with which persons she'd need to get close and familiar with, Ghira's hand laid itself on her shoulder. "You two are good together. He tames your fire well."

Red crept up her cheeks. "S-shush." She felt like a daughter whose father had just walked in on her talking about her crush, the image of the young man who had taught her how to dance, appearing to her mind. "I give you my blessing." She looked down, biting her lower lip. She was not going to comment on this.

"Remember to use protection for his 'after-dinner dessert' when you're at your place, Sienna." Kali winked, as Ghira looked at her. "That would be… for the best."

She wished at that moment that she could've been far away from here.

As she stepped out of the venue nearly two hours later, she heard the beep of her Scroll, reaching to get it and check who was calling her at this moment in time. Twisting around, she saw that it was Jaune. Irritation and a little hint of ill ease came to her, as she realized that he should have been in bed already. It wasn't good for kids to stay up too late, after all… and he was pretty much a kid in her eyes.

The report of the rifle that she heard was loud, as she felt the sudden sharp pain as something hit her upper body, her body spinning once, and the cold ground hitting her hard, as her bodyguards threw themselves on top of her, guarding her with their life. She could feel her breathing grow heavier, the pain inside her chest growing ever stronger as she realized that she'd been shot, the sound of it loud enough to be heard through the street. "Get the VIP to safety!" One of her protectors called, yet she found herself fading, fast.

She hoped to the brother gods that that call might've been important… because she was now bleeding out, thanks to a human… Life sucked, if you were Sienna Khan.

* * *

He looked at the luxurious suite in the Schneeton as he helped Willow into the room, the woman having given herself over to him, his arms supporting the woman as she lurched towards the bed, her steps unsteady. "Easy, ma'am."

One of the bodyguards said, as the woman threw herself on the bed, laying there for a moment, as she let her gaze wander through the people in the room. "Out of the room." She barked, as her eyes focused on him. He made efforts to get out, yet her voice rang out again. "Mister Arc, stays. You both, leave. Guard the door or something. Outside."

The woman's voice held command, even as the alcohol in her system seemed to burn again, the woman's hand grabbing what seemed to be a bottle of Vacuan Vodka, putting it to her lips and draining a quarter of it.

"Eehhhshh." She sighed, looking at him. The bodyguards had long since vacated the room, used to their employer ordering them around.

"Am I pretty, Mister Arc?" The woman's hands were tugging on the dress, seemingly ready to pull it off. He moved, his hands grabbing hers, before she could show him exactly how many melons the Schnee family had stacked with her. The close proximity between the two of them, him as a young man, half-seated onto the bed, her as a woman, wrists held by his hand, was something that would have made him blush before, yet now… he could only feel pity. _'She must be seriously depressed if she's acting like this… drinking so much.'_

He knew well those ails. His sister, who he loved dearly, had been feeling those flashes of depression as well, her job as a Huntress weighing on her mind more than she'd care to admit. It was for her that he had wanted to be a hero, to help ease the burden on her a little as she'd struggle from mission to mission.

"You're very pretty." It was an undeniable fact. Her porcelain-white skin contrasted with the noble features of her face, her loose white hair adding a snow-like corona to her head as she laid there, a playful growl coming from her mouth. "Come on, Mister Arc…" Her legs wrapped around his waist suddenly, the feeling of her groin pushing against his body very pervasive. "Show me how you appreciate a woman… It's not every day that Jacques Schnee's wife goes out and gets herself a sexy man such as yourself…"

The lure was there, yet he did not bite it. She was someone else's wife. The wedding ring on her finger was a sign of the pact that she'd made before an arbiter of marriage, to stay with that husband forevermore. Her mouth reached his ear, as her tongue slid out and traced over it. "I like it when you said that you'd bend me over your knee… Does that excite you, Mister Arc? Bending a lady such as me over your knee and making her scream your name?"

The woman's voice was seductive, yet he pulled himself away, just in time. Her eyes were wide, a nonplussed expression on her face, those blue eyes filling with tears. "Am I… not pretty?" She asked, devastated.

"You are a beautiful woman, but you are married." He said. Her eyes narrowed. "And some jumped up jungle cat with a fucking tattoo fetish is any better? Does she suck your cock when it's convenient, Mister Arc? Does she want to have your cock in her ass whilst she meows like a kitten, because that's all she'll ever be good for? A rabid animal, biting the hand that feeds her kind… that threatens my family and who makes it so that my daughters are in fear of their life?" The angry voice of the woman was realistically an effect of her drunken state, as he shook his head.

"I'm just her dancing teacher." He said, as the woman pulled her arms free, her hands grabbing a hold of him. A look of desperation came to her eyes. "Please…" She whispered, her voice a low tone, as tears started to leak from her eyes.

"Love me…"

The plea was soft, yet her eyes were moist. She sniffled once, as she inhaled slowly, her eyes watery still as they looked at him. _'You're a mess…'_

His good heart would not let him leave her, as he sat himself down, her hands sliding down, his own body betraying him as they fondled. "A big one… I'll be a good woman. Please…" her voice was desperate, as her mouth slipped around an earlobe, giving it a tug. "I'll keep silent about it… Just a bit of love. Please… Please." The plea in his ear was pitiful, as her hands slid the zipper down, the audible sound heard, even as her fingers traced the outline. "Good… Good. I'll make you feel good. That's what you want, yes? Lien? I've got plenty, but please…"

Her eyes were desperate and lonely, a fragment of something that just made his heart throb and ache inside them, as her hands handled his lower parts, his mind strictly staying in the clean space. _'This is someone's wife. Someone's wife who's been drinking, who isn't fully in control. I don't want to lose my virginity to someone who is one step away from making the worst decision in her life.'_

"We can't do this, Willow." He wondered whether that was her first name or whether it was just an alias. The look in her eyes was enough, as her hands pulled back. "I'm no good." She whispered, before she threw herself onto the pillow and started to sob, loudly. "No good at all. A failure as a mother, a failure as a wife…"

He rubbed her back, awkwardly. The dress had come undone, her crying still as loud as it was. "My little Snowflake, all grown up, soon to be at Beacon… And that bastard always going like 'You should sing at this charity concert', 'Daughter, you should make an appearance…'. As if my little snowflake WANTS to be there with the old guys and looked at like she's thirty Lien from a night in a brothel… I wanted MORE for my daughters than to just be some little prick's trophy wife." The woman's head turned to face him, a mess on the pillow that looked like it'd be annoying to have stick to your face.

"And now you, Jaune!" Her voice raised, as her eyes met his. Drunken anger and sadness shone within, as the tears came. "I'm offering you sex. Normal people wouldn't even get that far, but you smacked me awake from the haze of alcohol… and you said No. Do you know how many young men would KILL to have a woman as good-looking as me fuck them?" The crude language was obviously inspired by her state, her eyes murderous-looking in their own manner.

' _She's really upset… perhaps it would be better if I-'_ The woman rose up, her hand grabbing his shirt. He was aware that her grip was something weak, yet he did not dare move.

"Do you know what you're giving up?" She growled at him, as he pushed her down. She looked indignant, like Sienna did when she was ready to deliver one of those scathing commentaries on how he fucked up.

"You're drunk and not thinking straight." He said, trying to keep order. This older woman was not even a friend, let alone someone he felt comfortable with, yet his words were… surprisingly effective. The woman's eyes calmed down, as her head turned a little sideways, her eyes losing focus. "Daddy?" She mumbled, her grip softening a little. "I had this horrible dream, daddy…" She murmured, as her hands dragged him along to the bed.

"Winny was shouting at me and Snowflake is screaming about how I'm a horrible mommy." The woman's drunken pleas for sympathy were working, as he stroked over her back, her grip on him strong, as she rubbed her head against him. "They call me names, daddy… Bad names. Drunken names… I don't wanna be alone, daddy."

Her voice whimpered, the sympathy in his mind starting to flow, as he rubbed over her back. "You're doing fine, miss Schnee." He said, trying to calm the woman down a little, even as the sobs came even harder. His hand grabbed his Scroll out of his pocket, dialing Sienna's number, waiting for her to pick the call up. _'If someone knows what to do, it'll be Sienna.'_

"I don't wanna be alone… Please… Don't leave me. Please?"The plea of the woman sounded real, as her tears soaked into the rented suit that he wore.

The call did not connect, and he was left with the Schnee woman hugging him with a death grip, her tears and mumbled pleas for apologies from her father coming like a serenade of regret and pathetic whining.

It was a sad sight, even as he stroked the older woman's back, trying to soothe her terror.

* * *

 **Another chapter done… and in this one, stuff happened! I'd had a few different iterations of how the interaction between Jaune and Willow Schnee went, yet I decided on this one because it'd be more fitting for drunken people to work.**

 **What does this mean for the romantic part? Generally… Sienna's just been shot. Willow Schnee's been rejected and has an emotional breakdown. She's got a positive impression of Jaune. Been a while since she was ordered around without any hidden motives… Jaune's been influenced in his line of thinking a little by Sienna. Sienna, being the driven career Faunus that she is, has rubbed off on him. Kali loves to tease, yet she knows very well not to press too much when Sienna is not comfortable with it. She knows Sienna better than Sienna knows herself. She spots the attraction, mainly from the social cues that Sienna's indicating subconsciously. A human this close to a Faunus Supremacist has to be someone special to her, and Kali is like 'oh gods, this is GREAT!'**

 **She hasn't started making up child names just yet… and there's also a subplot working in the background.**

 **As an alternate change, I decided to use the point where Sienna was shot as the divergence point to create another universe, in which Sienna did get mortally wounded. It would be a Willow X Jaune then.**

 **TIMELINE SPLIT – WILLOW SCHNEE TIMELINE UNLOCKED**

The rifle's sound was heard by the bodyguards, even as the Dust round impacted with the back of Sienna Khan's head. The skull shattered like a melon falling from a high place, the body dropping like a sack of potatoes without any support.

Sienna Khan had perished by an assassin's rifle. The effects of it would only become known through the passage of time. Her era was done... Yet others would take up her cause.


	9. Sudden twists

**Chapter 9:Sudden twists**

 **Another chapter, cobbled together with spit and grit. Shorter than the one before, though. Much shorter. There'll be a second chapter of this fic uploaded next week! I'm taking extra time for the volume II finale for A Grimm Tale… and will be writing the NSFW parts of this fic and uploading them on the AO3 account that I'll be making in… a few days. There'll be some NSFW parts in this one… and well, with the crackdown on erotic stuff and the like, I'd rather not risk the account I have being deleted because someone got it in their mind that it's bad for people to read something 'adult'**

* * *

This absolutely sucked worse than a budget meeting of all the branches and the annual makeup of the public events that she was forced to attend pushed together. A mixture of boredom and her own lack of enjoyment was something that often made her more volatile, even if the sterile white room she'd been cooped up in seemed to once more outline the burden that she'd been on the system that the humans had crafted to oppress the Faunus.

"Miss Khan?" The voice of one of the bodyguards came from the door, as she looked at him with an expectant look. The place that she'd been brought to was the private clinic that some of the higher-placed members of society preferred for their own peace and quiet, with little media interference. "Mister Taurus and Mister Arc are here to visit."

She perked up slightly, the tugging of the bandages on her arm making her wince slightly. The bullet had been lodged into the bone, the round piercing through her flesh with little difficulty. According to the surgeon who had spoken to her after the haze of medication had worn off, she'd been lucky to survive the hit with the bullet lodging itself into her ribcage, one of the lungs collapsing due to the sudden round. Her aura was not active when she was not actively focusing on it, her adrenaline preventing her body from properly acclimatizing to the sensation of pain.

"Let them in." She said, her voice gathering strength. She could hear the door opening up and Adam entering, followed by Jaune, who wore the same coat as Adam did, the two matching perfectly in manner of attire. It must have been coincidence, as Adam looked worried and concerned. "Are you alright?" The words of the man were the first to come from the duo, as the human merely watched with eyes that held pity. _'I wonder what happened to the Schnee?'_

"As well as I can be." She winced as she could feel the pain kick in once more, exhaling slowly. "The bullet went in through the shoulder and hit me in the ribs, according to what I heard." She wasn't going to tell them that the trajectory of the bullet would've burst her skull like a melon if she hadn't been reaching for her Scroll, the call enough for her to have survived. _'The safety measures must be increased…'_

"It is my fault. I should have put more brothers on your guard detail, to ensure that something like this does not happen." The doubt in Adam's eyes was real, as she hissed softly as the pain worked through her upper body. Sienna could see that he had not slept much, his eyes looking bloodshot and irritated, as there was the need for the control that he craved to have in his dealings with his fellow people.

"It happened, Adam." She said, looking him in the eyes. She gritted her teeth, knowing that the way that the man stressed himself would impact him later on. She knew well that there would be changes to the way that the White Fang operated when he was in charge, brought on by her incapacitation or death. She knew Adam's heavy-handed style of 'ensure that there are no humans left to oppose the Faunus', the way that he handled his issues with a brush of fire and blood, clearly choosing the option to fight against the human oppression. Her eyes caught sight of the blonde human's worried gaze.

"And you…" She said, her voice slipping into the imperious tone that she knew would be enough to ensure that the human's cooperation would be swift. "You will need to tell me everything that happened. What did you do with the Schnee?" She was not going to surrender her autonomy for anything, her eyes gleaming in the bright light of one of the lamps, watching the discomfort radiate off the human. Without any sort of hint, she would assume that the blonde had just gotten the Schnee out of there and went home… but the wiles of the Schnee were not to be misunderstood. A functioning alcoholic would be worse than whatever Willow Schnee was.

"With her? Oh, no, no, I didn't do much with her." The words came out of his mouth before he seemed to have thought of a good excuse. Her lips pressed tightly together, as she fixed him with a look. "She just passed out, alright? Dead to the world and unconscious." She didn't buy that excuse for one moment. Willow Schnee always would do something that was good for her company. Sienna Khan had met the woman enough to form the concrete opinion about her that this was not an acceptable manner.

"Nevermind, that isn't important now." She could deal with the Schnee when she was able to move again. _'It seems I'll be staying in Vale for the foreseeable future.'_ The thought was unwelcome, as she knew her schedule often revolved around different rallies and the support of the varying enclaves of the Faunus, with her words often thought of as the gospel of free Faunus.

' _They should not have spread the news that I was injured yet.'_ The look that Adam gave her meant that there was something that he wished to tell her, the twitch of his fingers towards the weapon that usually remained on his side, now absent due to the location, without any sort of interest.'

"Are you alright?" The blonde human spoke up, his voice concerned and with genuine interest. _'Damn you, you're not supposed to just ask that!"_ She knew well the forms of etiquette that accompanied hospital visits, but the parents of this blonde boy seemed to have ignored those lessons… or he was just trying to rile her up even more so that she'd have a slower recovery speed. _'What if he is under the influence of the Schnee?'_ Paranoia flared in her mind, before she mentally dismissed the thought. She would not worry about the issues of the young man, whilst she still had to deal with the White Fang as an organization.

"Obviously not, human." She said, her voice holding a sarcastic edge. "Enjoying the sight of the great and wonderful Sienna Khan being laid out because of some idiot's assassination attempt?" She snarked, as she looked at him. Those blue eyes looked serious, as they fixed her with a look that made her feel a flash of unusual warmth inside them. "I've got sisters who are good at finding things and people… If you want…"

She wouldn't know what some women could do for her that the White Fang would be able to do under her command. She was serious in her affairs for work, as those blue eyes captured her attention. _'Did he always have those nice blue eyes?'_ She mused, the tingle of warmth in the pit of her stomach settling.

"Sienna! We heard through our guard detail!" The door bashed open and Kali entered, standing as tall and proud as a woman of her short stature could, elbowing past Adam and Jaune to look at her. "We heard that you'd been shot and that the guy got away! Are you alright? Does it hurt anywhere?" The concern in the woman's voice was touching, even as Sienna's gaze was drawn from those blue eyes, the odd coldness in her gut making her feel worse, as she knew that there was something that she was missing. She spotted Ghira out of the corner of her eye, easing himself into the room whilst Kali's face dominated her view. "Do you want me to fluff your pillow? Do you need to go to the bathroom?"

She felt ill at ease being asked such questions, even as Jaune and Adam both shared an uncomfortable look, the look that went between the two of them showing their dedication to the cause in a fashion, as Adam nodded, Jaune giving her what seemed to be a small smile. "I'll be back later. I've got to make a few arrangements." She didn't know why she felt a little emptier on the inside then, as he left the room. "good for you. You'll need to improvise. Ghira, we've got some food that we can give her, right? Our poor Sienna isn't feeling good."

"I don't think we should be feeding her… She's not a cat." Ghira's voice assured her that her bodily integrity was still in a good state, her whole body quivering slightly under the sudden touch of Kali's hand to her forehead. "She's not a cat, she's Sienna." Kali said, in her tone of 'I am a mother'. It made Sienna's heart throb just a little harder, as the woman's face came even closer, smelling the breath, it seemed.

"Kali, I can-" The older Faunus woman placed a finger to her lips. "Ah ah ah, we'll go and make sure that you'll be getting better soon! We'll be staying here in Vale until you are well again!" The woman's voice sounded so determined that it was almost like an indictment of her own graces, as she looked at Sienna with a look of utmost dedication. "We can't stay here for too long, we've got appointments scheduled in Mistral…"

' _The international conference of the Kingdoms, where Menagerie is represented by its Chieftain.'_ It had been something on the back of her mind as she adjusted herself a little. "Screw that bunch of human bastards! Sienna's hurt, Ghira!" The woman's voice was angry, a rare sight for Sienna to witness. The ferocity within the woman's voice was something that seemed to be enough for her, as Sienna cleared her throat. "Ghira will have to go there as the leader of Menagerie, you know… And as the leader of the White Fang, with me out of commission."

The feline Faunus pressed her lips together, forming a tight line. "I don't like it one bit! This whole city reeks of corruption and evil plots… My little kitten's been harmed by the need for control by some human who'd rather see us dead." The woman was guessing, undoubtedly so. There were more players involved in the manner of the assault on her life, several of which she could already name.

' _Torchwick, for the international syndicate. Albertino, with his street-side connection at the docks… They've not been making things easy for us… Or perhaps the Schnee, if she'd really want to drive the point home.'_ The latter was just a thought that errantly popped into her mind, knowing that the Schnee Dust Company would not embroil itself in something as high-case as the assassination of one of the leaders of the White Fang. _'If I die, then a more radical leader would spring up to take my place…'_

Her mind went back to the human, feeling some contentment for some strange reason, as she took a deep breath. _'It will all be alright, with enough time spent on ensuring that there won't be some sort of violent revolt from the Faunus.'_ The methodological way that Ghira had led the White Fang was not easily challenged by impulsive rhetoric and grandstanding gestures. The people loved the leader who gave them the result that they craved, the one who fought for them, not the one who would embroil the world in a war that would harken back to the Faunus Rights Revolution.

She was not going to let some idiot ruin what she had painstakingly worked for. Even if she were to be chained down in Vale for a while longer whilst her body healed, she would ensure that there would be enough done in order to ensure that the White Fang would remain strong and able to bring the fear of the Faunus to the humans so that they would give Faunus the respect that they deserved.

' _I just need to get well again… Then… we can work with this new happening. Martyrdom is a powerful tool to vitalize the masses.'_

* * *

He felt the weight of the woman atop him, her white hair a mess, clearly scattered around his chest. She was drooling a little, even as she'd managed to somehow crawl on top of him, still clothed, for some parts, the snores that she made deeper than most that he could hear. It had been a moment of revelation, of when she had finally broken down and had her soul poured out… and he could only feel pity for her.

The stories that she had told him about her daughters and her son were listened to with a patient ear, as she could feel the arm rubbing her back, trying to coax her back into a state that was 'not-crying', with her attitude flipping between the pleading for forgiveness and the hopeless murmurs that he tried to ignore.

He heard the beep of his Scroll, the sound of a new message being received. He wondered whether it was Sienna, complaining about his sudden absence. Jaune grabbed the sleeping woman, trying to shift her off him. The sleeping face of the woman changed slightly, as she nuzzled against him. _'She'll realize that she's a mess when she wakes up.'_

He knew that she would be someone who would wish to not lose the appeal that she had. Her woes had been about being a good mother, her voice pleading with him to allow her to taste him in the manner of a woman with a man, yet he had been stern with her. He had his moral code. Heroes did not take advantage of a woman who obviously was not in the right state of mind, who would be offering such a thing whilst pleading and sobbing. _'I could have gotten laid, yet…'_  
Looking at the woman's sleeping face, he pushed her on her back, the snore that she gave somewhat heavier than the ones he'd heard before.

' _She's just a lonely woman…'_ He wasn't going to deny the need for comfort from anyone, yet he was not someone who would breach his ideals for anything. He reached for his Scroll and opened it up, seeing the message of the new contact pop up. _'Kali Belladonna, that's the nosy Faunus woman, right?'_

He opened up the message, letters flickering on the screen. **'Sienna is hospitalized. Will find out more details. Are you alright?'** The message blinked a few times, as the 'writing' blip pop up.

' _Did something happen? Did she get herself hurt because the car she rode in crashed?'_ Worry showed on his face, even as the message finished and the letters popped onto the screen. **'Assassination, will send details when I hear.'**

He felt worry well up inside him, as he looked at the number on the screen, his eyes watching the number slowly climb up, Sienna's face appearing to his mind, knowing that she would be seriously hurt if it was an assassination. _'When did she get so famous that she'd need to be assassinated?'_

He just didn't get it… but then again, he was not someone who was up to date with political matters or sociological matters. With just her though… She was an interesting woman. Driven to a point where she would be thought of as some sort of great leader, without becoming some sort of boogie-man that scared the living daylights out of him… Well, she DID scare him at times, her threats of withdrawing the support that she'd given him nothing to sneeze at and dismiss, yet she did seem to care enough about him to allow him to go shopping with her assistant of sorts, Adam.

The number on his Scroll he hadn't called before, yet he knew it when the man had offered him the number, the baleful glare that he'd received enough to cow him, even as the man had begrudgingly offered it. The blade at his side had been dangerous-looking, yet the man knew that their association was founded on the trust that Sienna had in him… whatever trust that might still be.

The call button was found and the call connected. "Adam?" He asked, the voice of the other man coming from the speaker. "What do you want, human?" The coldness in Adam's voice was there, as he seemed to speak with distaste. "What happened to Sienna?"

He knew that Adam was some executive or something, as the surprised sound that he made was even more worrisome than anything he'd heard before, a muffled curse coming from the man's mouth. "How the fuck would you know before I would?" The man cursed, as the camera activated, showing a messy-looking mop of hair, the massive poster on the wall of what was a rather attractive young woman with the cutest cat ears he'd seen before, pulled into an embrace by the man.

"Miss Kali sent a message, could you check?" He asked, as the man put the scroll down and cursed once more. The voice of the man seemed to be whining, as the coat was pulled on, Jaune checking himself out just in case, the tuxedo now mostly a lost cause. _'I should get myself back to the place I'm renting, go for the coat… It'll be a bit like I'm copying Adam, but I'm not going to let Sienna be injured or something… She's my guarantee to get into Beacon.'_

He looked back at the sleeping form of Willow Schnee, the woman's chest rising and falling. _'I should leave her a note… probably add my number.'_ He looked around for something to write on, coming across a notepad that'd been left on one of the tables, getting up smoothly.

"Human?" The voice of Adam came from the speaker, as Jaune grabbed the pad and searched for a pen. "One moment, Adam. I've got to write something down." He opened one of the drawers, a snowflake-embossed fountain pen found, the cap pulled off and he scribbled down the message that he intended to get to her. **'I hope that you'll feel better after having vented a little. My number is written below, if you ever feel like you need to have someone to talk to.'**

It was the best that he could do. The woman was a mess, a bundle of emotion that seemed wrapped tight by her nature and her need for alcohol. "I'm back, sorry about the wait."

He could feel a set of arms wrap around him, a soft smacking sound as the woman nuzzled against his back, a low moan coming from her mouth as she held on tightly.

"We've got to go. I'll pick you up from your place in… forty minutes." Adam's voice was serious, as he spoke about the topic, his face showing irritation from the camera, the camera on apparently. _'He should shave more often… He looks rough.'_

He got up, turning to the lady and watching her for a moment, half-collapsed towards the front, her arms left stretched out. With a sigh, he arranged her in such a fashion that she looked respectable, as he tightened his heart a little to the sorry sight that she appeared to be, her mascara having ran down her cheeks to form tracks of darkness, the makeup on her face having left his tuxedo stained slightly… and he'd no doubt have to spend more money on the tuxedo than he'd intended. "I hope you'll be alright." He mumbled, the memory of his sister rising to his mind. No bloodshot eyes, yet the sense of loss was there still.

Thirty minutes later, he stood in front of the place he'd been renting, ready to get himself dressed properly. The rats were just about to escape from the dumpster near the housing apartment, their beady little eyes looking at him like he was just another snack, even with the door pushed open and the smell of piss and other refuse hitting his nose. _'It's not the best, but you can't let it get to you…'_

He was the only son of the Arc family, the one who would become a hero, even if his family did not approve of it. His oldest sister would undoubtedly find him and beat him into a pulp… but he wasn't going to let his chance to go to Beacon slip out of his grasp.

The Faunus woman was dedicated to her own job of being some sort of leader. She obviously ran in circles where the average person could never tread… so he knew that he should have to hold out hope.

The fact that she was an older woman and definitely possessed skill in the art of fighting did not hide the fact that if it all came together, she was still a pretty darn good-looking woman. A little shorter than most, her skin the colour of a lighter chocolate, her eyes blazing with that passion and adeptness at handling whatever the situation threw at her. When she had spoken at the flower show, he had thought for a moment that she was one of the prettiest women in the room. Not just the fact that he danced with her was important, but the presence that she held. A woman who was dominant in the manner of controlling those around her, whose will was not going to break or bend.

He could appreciate a woman like that, even if things would never work out between them.

Adam arrived on his chosen vehicle, a Dust-based Motorcycle, appropriately in dark red and black, the man's coat flapping in the breeze, as he looked dishevelled. The coat that Jaune wore was of the same cut as Adam's, whose face was worried-looking, anxiety in his eyes. "Get on, human." The man's voice was tense, as he made space for Jaune to get on, the Faunus tensing up immediately, yet the motorcycle pushing along the road immediately, ready to go and bring them to their destination.

As he left the room that Sienna was laid up in, he watched Adam stride over to the doctor. "Human, what happened." The man snarled like an angry bull, Faunus traits notwithstanding. "Adam, don't… He needs to care for her. Keep your temper in check."

He knew well that Adam could be rude when he was in a temper, yet Jaune could at least contain the man's temper slightly through the use of words. The doctor, clearly used to such behaviour, took a look at him and then back to Adam. "Is this about Patient K?" The question came, Jaune turning his head to the room where Sienna was kept in. A K had been put on the sign-post next to the door's number, bright red against the white walls.

"Yes. Do you know what happened? With the surgery, of course." Jaune opted to speak, realizing that he'd grabbed Adam's coat by the back, to restrain the man. The baleful glare of ultimate edge-lord-ness stared back at him, as the man's lips were pressed in a fine line. "Punctured flesh, minor fragments scattered through the torso with a lung pierced, apparently. We usually do not give out information like this, but seeing as you're wearing the visitor's badge for Patient K…" The man's voice was sharp, as he adjusted his tie a little. "I have rounds to do. Please, be assured that we are doing all we can in order to ensure the swift recovery of Patient K."

As he saw the Belladonna's emerge from the room, the woman looking much relieved for some reason, the man's face grave, as was his default expression. The woman moved over much swifter than he could imagine. "So… Are you going to Beacon tomorrow? Sienna said something about that." The woman's eyes were possessed with a strange kind of energy, as she seemed to hold within her gaze something. Adam scoffed, walking off towards the room, the door closing behind him, the bodyguards letting him through after a moment of deliberation.

"Could you… Do us a favour?" The woman asked, her eyes looking a little worried. "Take care of Sienna for us… She's not the warmest and the nicest to people…" The woman's eyes went down, as she took a deeper breath. "I don't mean 'stick to her like glue', but just… Be her friend. Sienna's been hurt more than a little by how our people have been treated and…" The woman's voice could hardly be louder than a whisper.

"You're one of the first humans that's been in extended contact with her." He smiled at her. "Of course, I'll make sure that she keeps safe." Relief flooded Kali's features, as Jaune shifted a little.

"Thank you. We worry for her." The husband said, Ghira being his name, if Jaune remembered right. The man looked different in his unofficial clothing, the chest hair looking like fur to Jaune's untrained eyes. "I'll send you a few messages when we've cleared the airport! Good luck tomorrow!"

The husband groaned, even as he looked at his wife. "You really shouldn't…" He said, but his wife's smile was warm. "I'll gladly respond, Miss Belladonna. " He responded, to which the woman beamed at him. "She'll be just fine, dear… we have a flight to catch, yes?"

He watched the two depart, the husband giving a soft groan as he seemed to present a counter-argument to his wife's tone, which had the woman making gestures with her hand.

His Scroll beeped, and he opened it up to see one message from an unknown number.

' **Thank you for your kindness.'** The number listed seemed not to be Valean, the area code somewhat different, yet he knew who it was. **'Everyone needs a moment to vent. I am glad that you didn't meet with someone who would take advantage of you in a moment of weakness.'**

He was genuinely glad for her, even as the writing icon appeared on the side. **'Coffee? I know this place where you can get some of the real Vacuo-imported beans. I'll have Mort-Jacques wait outside for you. That's the bodyguard with the half-beard.'**

He looked at the message for a moment, before he responded – **'I'd love to.'** -, making sure to look at the direction of Sienna's room. _'She'll be alright.'_

He entered the room after one of the bodyguards stepped aside to admit him, seeing Adam get up from the seat at the bedside, looking at the Faunus woman in the bed. "I've got to go. Preparations to make, people to see…" He wasn't going to outright tell her that he was meeting Willow for a cup of coffee. Sienna's eyes looked at him with a gaze that seemed to hold within its depths something fierce.

"I'll expect a message from you once in a while, Human." Her voice was strict, as her eyes met his own. "Your name and mine are linked now… If you die…" She bared her teeth in what was an impressive hiss. "Alright, alright… I'll try not to die. I'll also see whether I can improve the lot of the Faunus in the world… Who knows? I might get a Faunus teammate! My oldest sister had one. Total creep, according to her."

Sienna frowned at him, yet he knew that she didn't really mean it. It looked… cute, for lack of a better word. Not the angry look of a demon about to breathe fire, like in Grimm Vengeance IV: The Hellish Veil.

"Enjoy your day… I'll just be here… bored to tears." The woman winced, the hospital gown that she wore shifting slightly, the bandages turning red again. "Adam, get a nurse… I think the bandages just got loose again… Egh." The woman had a foul expression on her face, as Adam got up, yet Jaune shook his head. "I'll go and see whether there's a nurse able to change them, Sienna."

The use of her personal name made her eyebrow rise for a moment before she shrugged. "Get it done, boy." She said, though he could detect a faint fondness in her voice. _'She's warming up to me. Good.'_

As he asked one of the nurses to change the bandages on Sienna's side, he wondered briefly how things would go at Beacon.

He found himself distracted as he walked towards the commercial district, the location of the coffee place already sent to his Scroll, in accordance with Willow's wishes. _'This can't be as bad as it was before.'_

How disappointed was he going to be, when faced with Willow Schnee.

* * *

 **A day before Beacon! A 'date' with Willow Schnee! No, THIS is NOT going to be a Jaune x Willow thing. This is purely the Jaune X Sienna… and the attraction between the two of them is starting to come forth. Sienna's going to be laid up for a while. Kali's going to be… around.**


	10. Turn on the heel

**Chapter 10: Turn on the heel**

 **Another chapter, another time... oh, and drunken people who like wine.**

* * *

He hurried along, knowing that it would be a quick shower beforehand, as he recalled the message that Willow had sent him, the woman's notice of him both remarkable as well as worrisome. He found the café quickly, the signboard that hung outside enough for the identification purpose, the golden lettering proclaiming it to be one of the prime purchasers of original Vacuan beans. The windows looked well-washed and the tables that were arranged around it looked appealing to the eye.

As he entered, he took note of the general absence of people present, a young man in the uniform of the store walking up to him. "I'm sorry, but the venue is reserved for a special client. We can offer you a coupon for half off your next cup, if you'd like?" The young man's opinion of him clearly wasn't something positive with the way that he looked ready to usher him out when one of the bodyguards of Willow stepped up. The man's half-beard was a clear give-away that this was 'Mort-Jacques' that had been spoken of earlier.

"This is the other guest, please, escort him to the madam's table." The young man's manner of behaviour changed immediately, a formal bow made.

"Of course, of course. Please, sir... follow me." The uniformed man guided him along, as Jaune picked out the woman already seated in one of the booths. The dress that she wore was the casual cut style that covered everything important, her eyes looking at him with a curiosity in them, as Jaune sat down opposite of her. "What would you like to have, sir? We have an excellent blend for you today, with additional ground vanilla powder for that original Valean flavour."

"Sure, I'll have that." He said, as he looked at Willow, who had been staring at him, not speaking in the slightest, her attention fully riveted to him. "So..."

She smiled at him, shifting a little in her seat. "What you did is a very noble thing, Jaune." Her voice held more of a purr than Sienna's ever did, her eyes looking into his own, a sharp blue colour that seemed to spring out at him as if they were eating him alive, her tongue sliding over her lips, those eyes sharper than before as she raised the cup to her lips and sipped the coffee slowly.

"Many would not have come to such a conclusion, or stayed with me." The woman continued, as she set the cup down again, his knee feeling something brush against it. "It means a lot to me." The woman said, leaning forward slightly, her cleavage shown clearly. His eyes stayed on her face though, even as her lips smiled.

"I'd like to state that I am very... grateful." Her knee brushed against his own again, even as she straightened out again, his eyes looking at her face, before her knee brushed against his own and remained there.

"Miss Schnee, your knee is rubbing against my own." He said, her smile turning a little broader. The knee disappeared, as she raised the cup to her lips. There was a devious expression on her face, as she straightened out. _'It's probably just the space... She must be adjusting herself a little.'_

"Your coffee, sir." The cup of coffee was placed in front of him, small sprinkles of golden dust on the surface of the cup, the smell of coffee wafting off the cup as Willow's eyebrow rose. Her gaze was on him still, a gaze that he'd seen Sienna wear a few times when she was eager for something, danger lurking in that gaze.

"Jaune..." Her foot brushed against his thigh, as he looked at him. It was hard to not think about the woman who'd been passed out drunk on his chest earlier this morning, as her toes traced over the inside of his thigh, clearly pulled out of her heels, her eyes looking at him with near-liquid fire burning in them. "I'm truly grateful. Not many people would do such a thing for me." Her voice was a little sultrier than he'd ever heard it, her eyes looking like they were clear still, her toes landing on the front of his pants.

"Now..." She continued, whilst he was frozen in place. Toes pressed against him, as the foot sole of her foot pressed there against him. "Do you wish to feel my gratitude? The gratitude of Willow Schnee?" He couldn't help but get up, before he'd do something he'd regret. He could see a pale elegant foot at the spot where he was, retracted in a moment's notice.

"I've got to go... emmm, to the bathroom, yes." He leaned forward a little, searching for the bathroom, the sign of 'gentlemen' on one of the doors allowing him a clue as to where it might be. After he'd done his business and washed his hands afterwards, the sudden stiffness fading after loosening his bladder, he joined her again, the teasing smile on her face still there. "You are a witch." He accused, to which she laughed.

She had a pretty laugh, for a woman her age. Clearly something of a matured thing, not often used, melodic in the parts where it counted and still with that joy for life that was audible in that voice when she spoke. It was the laugh of a woman who enjoyed her life once more, a contrast to the broken sobbing tones of which she'd regaled him with earlier. "Oh, I've been called worse." The foot brushed against his thigh again, her eyes locked with his own. "A Dust Whore, Faunus Breaker, Slaving Slut..." her toes traced over his thigh and his hand reached under the table to stop her, the satisfied smirk on her face somehow even more daring than before. "But I've never been treated in the way that you've treated me, Jaune." Her voice was a soft purr, as her toes wiggled, her eyes captivating his own. "Date of the infamous Sienna Khan, Faunus Supremacist."

"More of a dancing instructor, actually." He corrected her, as he pushed her foot back, which she allowed, seemingly without any issue. "It didn't really pay well." Her eyes glanced down whilst her knee brushed against his own.

"Do you desire Lien, Jaune?" She inquired, as a leather bag from a fashionable brand appeared beside her on the table. "I can make it worth your while..." her foot danced once more against his thigh, yet stopped when he shook his head.

"I'm not going to be what you want me to be, Willow." He spoke her name with a hint of steel in his tone, the woman's eyes closing for a moment as the woman's body shuddered. _'I'm going to become a Huntsman. I'm going to do my family proud!'_

"Ooh, this is..." Her lips parted to show a smile. "Exquisite." Her eyes met his own, as her eyes held that amusement, her foot moving once more. "I look forward to... engaging with you in debate, Jaune."

He narrowed his eyes and then fixed her with his best 'brotherly' look. It was the stern look that he usually had with his sisters, when they decided that it was time for a makeover, or something else. "You'll look forward to talking with me, without any of your tricks." The foot pressed against his groin again, yet he tried to deny the attention to that place, as she raised an eyebrow. "Stop that. This isn't how a woman should act."

The woman's eyebrows rose before a smirk flittered on her face. "You... You've got grit, Jaune... That's a rare thing to see. Many are intimidated by my prowess in the financial world. A word from me is enough to drive a family to ruin..." The foot continued to press against him, yet he resisted the urge to focus on that place. "Even you... Are you willing to risk your family in order to anger me?"

His hand moved before his mind caught up, the SMACK loud in the air as he slapped her. "Don't you ever talk about my family like that, _Willow_." His voice hissed out her name, his eyes fierce, as he looked at her. "You may be able to ruin is with your name, but are you really that petty?" The red mark on her cheek was enough as a sign of him going against her wishes. "That's not the Willow Schnee that I saw crying earlier today, pleading for someone to hold her, to tell her that she's not a worthless piece of garbage."

She was affected by his words, the blood draining out of her already pale face. "Get out!" She hissed back at him, anger in the back of her throat, even as he got up. Whatever sensual mood she had worked up in him, it was gone now. "I should have never done..."

He cut her off then. "No. The Willow Schnee that I know cares for more than her own pleasure. She is a mother who loves her children a lot, who has a drinking problem and can't stop herself without someone to pull her out of her mess." His eyes looked into hers for a moment, before he turned around. "You've got my number. Do whatever you want. Send me a message or something when you feel like being an adult instead of a petulant child that wants to have a new toy to play with." With those words, he left, his coffee cooling on the spot where he'd sat.

Unaware that the woman he had just left behind was left in a daze, with his back towards her, he left the establishment a moment later. He also missed the bodyguards approaching her, inquiring whether they should do something as well as the "No, leave it be. I'll deal with him myself. It might just be... what I needed." Her voice was hesitant as if she had just been confronted with something about herself that was unpleasant.

* * *

The files had been badly ordered, to her eyes. She knew her own archiving system the best, and several of the files that she had placed there personally had been moved, no doubt by her assistant. The woman was capable, yet Sienna Khan knew that the woman had little anticipation of her organising structure.

' _Everything has to go as I have foreseen it.'_ The inviolable rule that she was the one who made the different orders was unquestioned by all. Her eyes looked over the orders, clearly scanning them, the different divisional heads sending in their well-wishes and their hopes for a swift recovery. _'Urgh...'_

"Mister Arc to see you, ma'am." The bodyguard said, her head tilting to the side as she wondered what THAT one would want of her. _'Stupid human, lost without me...'_ She was NOT going to humour the boy if he thought she'd be appreciating his visits.

The bouquet of flowers that waddled into the room was something that surprised her again, a groan coming from her mouth as she saw the blonde hair that accompanied it. _'They are my... Did he?'_ The flowers she saw were all of the same sort, the type that she preferred. "What in the name of the two brothers are you doing?!" She asked, her voice carrying less heat than intended, as she felt oddly tender by the gesture.

"Bringing you flowers, of course. Ma always said that you should bring flowers to those who are important to you." She couldn't help but feel a little touched by those words, before her reality affirmed itself once more.

' _There's no way that he'd ever want to bring me flowers because he thought me to be someone special to his heart... I'm just a means to an end for him.'_ Her natural suspicion came to the forefront again, as he sat the bouquet in one of the vases, turning to her with a brilliant smile. _'That smile looks like he just imagined me being better than cooked lunch... And I am feeling just like breakfast.'_

"So, are you here to curry favour with me, like all the others?" Sienna asked, her voice sounding snarly and crude, as her eyes narrowed. Those blue eyes met her own and she felt her own gaze softening slightly. _'He's not quite like the others...'_

The blue eyes were a strong opponent. She could feel herself weakening slightly as she looked into those eyes, so guileless and without any ulterior motives. _'It wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't human... Pretty eyes like that on a Faunus... The boy's going to break some hearts with that charm of his...'_

"No, no... I... heh." He laughed, shaking his head. "I kind of had a coffee date with Willow that blew up."Her eyebrows rose, both of them, surprise visible on her face. _'What the hell?'_

She looked inquiringly at him, demanding an explanation. "She called me over for some coffee, and well..." He coloured. His cheeks turned hot, even as his scroll beeped a few times, indicating messages being received. "I slapped her, because she wasn't acting like a woman should."

' _And how do YOU know how a woman should act, Jaune?'_ She was riding the wave of incensed feelings, as she looked at him, his head turning away from her, without any indication that he was going to act. "Alright, spit it out. How do you think a woman should act, huh?"

She knew that she was lowering herself to his level by acting like him, but she couldn't help it. He turned to face her, his cheeks red again. "Loving and kind, without pretence! Not acting like she's able to buy everything! My virginity is worth more! I want to do it with the woman I love!"

Moments like this were the moments that she enjoyed the fact that the room was isolated sound-wise and none of this conversation would be leaked outside, for the look of surprise on her face was real. _'Willow Schnee tried to make him her boy-toy and he refused? By the gods... He'd be set for life if he did and he just slapped her and stormed off?'_

She had to admire the balls that he had... and she took a second look at him now. His face was still set in that half-impotent 'I am a man who refused the advances of a woman carved from snowflakes with the general pussy temperature of a frozen glacier' look. If one discounted the face, it wasn't half-bad, to her estimations. A bit more definition on the arm muscles, a bit of a stylist for the hair... Maybe a good bit of buffing on the stomach muscles... Yeah. Not too shabby.

Sienna found that it wasn't such an unfeasible thing to imagine the young man as something that she might have an interest in. It was... galling, to say the least, that the Schnee woman had shown an interest.

"Come closer." She said, her eyes looking at him. _'Yes, there is something that can be fixed about him… A bit of more definition… But he might just die tomorrow during initiation… I should account for that. What's the worst that could happen, right?'_

The young man came closer, the smell of some sort of fancy coffee still clinging to the coat that he wore, her hand grabbing a hold of him and pulling him closer. _'This isn't like in the novels you enjoy reading, Sienna… Sometimes you've got to grow a set of tits bigger than the ones you have… If Willow Schnee thinks that she can take the young man who's spent all that effort on getting me dancing… she's got another thing coming.'_

"Sienna, wha-" Her hands reached up, grabbing his head and then pressing her lips against his own. The kiss was sloppy and ill-prepared, his eyes wide, even as she could hear the creak of the door opening and a little hush falling, as her mouth pressed against his own.

"Be a good Huntsman, Jaune." She said, her voice sounding a little breathless.

"Ohmygosh, Ghira! Our little Sienna is growing up!" Kali's voice shattered her moment of repose, as her mind immediately went to dire places.

' _Fuck… She just caught me kissing a boy. I'm never going to hear the end of this…'_

* * *

She was just about to make her goodbyes to Sienna when she caught sight of the two there. The young man's head was grabbed in a rough manner by Sienna's arm wrapped around the back, the woman half-lifted from the bed, kissing him on the mouth in the manner that brutish men did to their women. _'Ooh…'_

Her gaze went to her husband, who averted his eyes from the sight. _'Coward. You never liked seeing couples be intimate… It's a good thing Blake takes after me.'_ She stalked forward like a cat with her prey, her eyes glinting as she saw the kiss deepen a bit. _'Ooh, is she slipping him the tongue? This is better than I could've hoped for! Sienna's got a boooooyyy!'_

She watched as the woman broke the kiss, her eyes looking at the young man whose lips she had claimed earlier. "Be a good Huntsman, Jaune." There DEFINITELY was a tenderness in that voice, breathless as it was. She could see the flush on her darling Sienna's cheeks, a ready sign that the woman was under the influence of that devious love-drug.

"Ohmygosh, Ghira! Our little Sienna is growing up!" She called out to her husband, unable to restrain herself. Seeing the blonde teenager shock back, his eyes surprised as he looked at the pair of them. Ghira attempted to make himself seem imposing, but the shock in his manner of standing was apparent… well, for Faunus. "Sooo…" The smile on her face was back.

"When are you going out on a date? Ghira, we should plan a date for ourselves… Ooh, she can't go on a date, she's still injured. After she's out of the clinic? Yeah, that'll work." She nodded to herself, as she brightly smiled at Jaune, Sienna holding her head in her hands and giving a laborious groan.

' _The poor dear must feel embarrassed.'_ She could understand it very well. When she had once been caught screwing Ghira, she'd felt a flush of embarrassment as well, even though Sienna had been perfectly reasonable about it. People loved passionately, after all. Sienna had never been able to look at her husband's face again without blushing for the rest of the year though… A shame, but she got over it. Sienna was a tough kitty.

"Soooo… Good luck, Jaune!" She smiled at the boy, who flushed red. _'Aww, so adorable…'_

"Thank you, Miss Belladonna. I'll try to make Sienna proud." The blonde teenager said, her eyes catching the cheeks of her friend flushing once more. _'She's such a dear, trying to hide her budding attraction to the boy… or… perhaps something motivated her?'_

Sienna was a woman who was driven by the need to prove herself, to be better than the competition. She was the High Leader of the White Fang, fighting for Faunus Rights in this world of Remnant, yet she was also a woman who had needs and desires of her own. Being nearly thirty herself seemed to have made Sienna less able to get a partner to go steady with… This might just prove to be an opportunity.

"Make us all proud! You're going to Beacon, yes?" The nod that he gave was enough for her. "I'll be sure to ask how your initiation went in a few days. Don't go dying on us, would you? Sienna would be devastated!" The gasp from the bed she ignored. Sienna didn't know what was right for her.

"I'll try and make sure that I make it out alive, intact and whole." The blonde said, as Kali nodded. _'That's a good start.'_

"Have a good day, I'll try to see whether I can come and visit in-between the classes, if I pass initiation." The blonde would do as he said, as he bid his farewells, her eyes locking on to the still suitable red-faced Sienna. "So… We'll be heading to Mistral next, or so I hear…" She grinned at her husband's despairing look, as if she had just decided that they would be celebrating some sort of holiday months earlier.

"And I'll keep you updated on how much we're doing. That's the best I can do." She said to Sienna, whose mouth was opening and closing, her eyes burning with anger and frustration and embarrassment.

"Y-YOU! H-HOW DARE YOU?!" Like the embarrassed kitten that she was, she immediately threw herself into anger. "You had no right to enter my room when I w-was busy! No right!"

Kali shifted a little, sitting down on the bed. "Oh, Sienna… You've got a lot to learn, haven't you?" Her voice was tender, as she reached out to caress her friend's cheek. "If you like a boy, you should not just kiss him…" Her smile turned predatory, Ghira giving a little shudder.

"You should make him want YOU." She said, Sienna's eyes widening. _'Oh? There's a response! She's had something like this happen! THIS IS NEW!'_

"Willow Schnee has… made advances." The Faunus in the bed said, as her hand brushed through her hair, between the ears. "He's rebuffed them, but…"

' _She's jealous, even if she won't admit it. I KNEW THAT THERE WAS CHEMISTRY!'_ She gave her husband a heated look, her head turned away from Sienna, so that her husband could see the expression she was making. Mouthing – 'You're screwed, tonight.' – to her darling husband, she turned her gaze back on Sienna.

"Don't worry… Just let me help you out. You can trust me." She put her most innocent smile on. Sienna's face seemed to turn a little warmer, as a hesitant, almost shy smile came to her lips. _'That's the spirit…'_

Jaune Arc didn't know how good he was going to have it, with Kali Belladonna on the match-up team!

* * *

 **Another chapter done, and next week an update for A Grimm Tale to be given! It's Christmastime… around that time, so I'll probably be unable to get anything out before the new year. The season of giving… and such. First part of A Grimm Tale's Volume II Finale… because I thought it best to split it up in parts. It'd get awfully large otherwise.**

 **As for the people who asked whether Jaune X Willow was an option… Yeah, it's an option, alright. It won't happen in this fic, but Willow Schnee's personality really shines when she's too blasted-out drunk to really make her own decisions. She went the 'I've got money, so you'll be my honey' route, which Jaune rebuffed.**

 **Willow Schnee has messed up. She knows that she's messed up. Maybe she'll turn out to become a better person?**

 **I know… and you may find out.**


	11. First Twist

**Chapter 11:First Twist**

 **A new year, a new chapter! To the person who so lovingly inquired about why the Belladonna's did not inquire about their daughter's well-being with Sienna… Well, they DID, but Sienna isn't fully aware of her having ran off, because Adam is keeping that mum. A general answer of 'she is working on her own issues' is enough to soothe Sienna's worries and well… Kali and Ghira didn't really wish to intrude in their daughter's life too much. It's a type of 'if she needs space, we will give it to her.' thing. Supportive, yet not intrusive. Ghira and Kali are willing to talk to her if she needs it, but they will also give their daughter the space she needs.**

* * *

That this flight was going to be hell was already predicted by the roiling in his guts the moment that they had lifted off. Having been delivered to the airship dock by Adam had been an unexpected boon, the man grumbling something about making sure that he got there on time, his motorcycle disappearing into the traffic a moment later. Why the man had stood outside his door for nearly an hour was beyond him, but Jaune was not going to look badly upon the boon of having gotten transportation.

Now that he was in the air though, his whole breakfast started to come from his mouth once more, the burning of acid in his guts at odds with how he felt. He stood over the trashcan, vomiting the contents of his breakfast into them, well-aware that he was making himself look like an idiot who couldn't handle moving vehicles well.

"Are you alright?" He heard someone's voice behind him, soft and with a hint of concern. He raised his head, his eyes bloodshot as he felt another wave of nausea come up. He shuddered.

"Is… is everything alright?" The girl asked again, her voice sounding more concerned. He caught a flash of red hair, green eyes that looked at him with concern. Compared to Sienna though, she was not as fanciful in her appearance, with her body clad in what seemed to be a sensible armour, her weapons at the side.

"Yeah, just…" He hurled again, the trashcan smelling like vomit and hopelessness. _'Why did we all have to get so sick when we are on a vehicle?'_ He lamented that, as he clutched the trashcan. "Motion sickness." He said, his voice sounding like a groan. _'Compared to Sienna though, this girl isn't so bad.'_

"Ah, I must admit that I don't have that problem myself." She looked a little uncomfortable, as if she were waiting for something. A small pen appeared in her hand, seemingly by habit. "Are you alright though? I couldn't help but feel worried, seeing someone so sick."

Jaune pulled a small can of mints out, an addition that Sienna had insisted on, something about 'not wishing to spend time smelling human vomit', whatever that was like. No doubt it was a thing with her own senses. Faunus had different ideas of what went right and not, or so Adam had told him.

"Nah, once I'm back on solid ground, I'll be fine." He grinned, looking at the young woman. "I'll be fine, don't worry." She seemed surprised, as she nodded, whatever pen she'd gotten from somewhere already tucked back into a pocket… if he guessed right. She couldn't just have put it in her weapon or something.

"I hope to see you in Beacon." He flashed her a smile, even as his stomach roiled and twisted itself into knots again, pain lancing up and down his body at the sensation. "Let's be the heroes people look up to, shall we?"

She giggled, her smile warmer and her eyes friendlier than before, even as his stomach finally let its displeasure be known, a wave of vomit pushing itself from his throat and he bent over the trash bin once more, the giggles getting even louder, even as she walked away. _'Didn't even introduce herself… Oh well, there'll be plenty of time to get introduced, right? They said something about initiation taking place a little later… so there's still time.'_ There was enough for him to be done about that, even as he felt the motions of the airship stop, his stomach doing a final flip as he looked concerned, his eyes catching sight of the young women and men that disembarked, even as he straightened himself out a little. _'Time to become a hero, Jaune… Sienna believes in you.'_

There was little to be said about that, watching as the newly accepted Huntsmen walked down the ramp, the redheaded girl that he had spoken with only briefly looking irritated in her posture as people crowded around her, asking questions, as if she were some celebrity. _'She does look somewhat familiar, but then again, Sienna also seems to be some important person. Not like that's worth much these days…'_

He remembered Willow, how she had implied and teased and made an offer that was so beyond the pale that he had rushed off. _'Fame… It doesn't do people justice.'_ He remembered the breakdown that the woman had, her pleading face matched with that devious one as her foot had moved… and he knew that she would be blowing up his Scroll again today. He had received seventy messages already from the woman, who had been most verbal in her pleading for forgiveness. She had really seemed to wish to get into his good graces again, calling the coffee meeting a 'mistake, brought upon by a momentary lapse of judgment'. _'Not like you would call it that after you've had your fun.'_

An explosion caught his attention, his mind stopping instantly as he turned to the direction where it had come from. He caught sight of a pale-haired girl tearing into some red-hooded girl who had landed near a crater of sorts, the white-haired girl's stance and bearing aggressive. _'Willow's daughter, no doubt…'_ There were few people who would have the white hair and the mannerisms of that woman. He could already smell that girl's alcohol consumption, if she were much like her mother. _'Someone to watch out for, I guess.'_

His Scroll beeped, and he could see a message from Miss Belladonna pop on the screen, opening it up with a tap of the fingers. A large picture taken at some sunny beach, Mister Belladonna wearing what seemed to be one of those swim briefs, with Kali wearing what amounted to a bikini that covered little. Sienna was standing with her face looking red, a bikini that covered more than Kali's did, yet it exposed an unique pattern on her body, stripes tattooed on her skin. **'Hi Jaune! This picture was taken nearly three years ago, when Ghira and I were at the beach. Doesn't Sienna look cute like this?'**

The woman's persistence in getting him to see a side of Sienna that he did not know yet was something to be admired. With her persistence, even the greatest rock would be worn down into a pebble soon enough. He could see Sienna now, dressed in such a bikini, the sight of it bringing to mind a hope. **'Looks nice, I hope that you can all be together at the beach again.'** The woman was writing a response, even as he tucked the Scroll away.

"Are you alright?" He asked the girl, who was dazedly looking up at the sky, offering her a hand. She took it, without any question. "That was quite an explosion."

The bright smile and the silver eyes that looked at him were something that took him aback, guileless and innocent in their expression. He thought back to molten orange, staring at him with infinite distaste and dislike, fear and mistrust in those eyes like a fierce storm of energy. "Ah, sure. I'll… Eh, yeah. I went boom, there was this crabby girl who reaaalllly should mind her Dust safety. We nearly went up in flames thanks to her, but I am okidokily!"

"My name's Jaune Arc." He held his hand out, which she took, smiling brightly. Wasn't it illegal for girls like her to smile so much that it blinded him?

"Ruby Rose! Say, Jaune… Do you know where we're supposed to go? I'm kind of… yeah, my sister ditched me, ehehehe."The admission was something that he knew well, even as he called up the map of Beacon Academy up on his scroll. "It's this way." He said, as he had the benefit of Sienna telling him to download the map to the academy beforehand.

"So… This is my baby." The massive scythe that appeared in her hands was something that took him by surprise, the way that she easily pulled it out and showed it to him being something that he could only stare in awe at. This was a genuine Huntress' weapon. "So… This is Crescent Rose, a scythe with a Dust-welded blade, thirty-three magazine chambers with additional Dust infusion cartridges and Silber weapons grease, in order to keep her smiling and happy!"

The technical mumbo-jumbo went straight over his head, her eyes looking as bright and enthusiastic as his sister did when she was ready to go and be the best elder sister that she could be. "Ah, my weapon isn't anything so fancy." Crocea Mors had been an heirloom, after all. He knew well how to wield it… supposedly. It was just chop, hack and stab, block with the shield, that's it. Easy, smart, no fuss.

"Ooh! Do they turn into a rocket launcher?" As he held up his weapons, she seemed to positively vibrate in place, petals falling onto the ground and turning into mere motes of dust. "No, don't tell me… They slot together and you have a hover-shield drone doom-bringer!"

"No. The shield turnds into the sheath." The look on her face was disappointed, as she looked at the sheath that he had with him.

"Doesn't it… still weigh the same?" She inquired, her voice softer, yet with a tone of interest.

"Yeah… They used to be my great grandfather's." He admitted, to which she nodded.

"That's fine! It'll be nice to see the classics make a return!" The enthusiasm that she showed was something that he could appreciate.

"Well, Ruby Rose… Let's be friends!" The look on her face was wild, even as she broadly grinned.

"You BET!" The smile on her face was strong enough to melt through a concrete wall, as she straightened herself out to her 'rather unimposing' height, her finger rising to the air. "Together, we shall be the bestest of friends! I should tell Yang that I've made a friend! She's going to be so like 'oh my gods, this is amazing, my little sister is growing up!' or… well, I guess she could also be going the other way of 'How dares a boy try to muscle in on my cute little sister!… She's kind of weird like that, but you didn't hear that from me, you hear?" The smile on his lips was enough for him, as his head bent slightly in acceptance of her words.

"Of course, of course…" The trouble with sisters he knew well. "Let's be the best Huntsmen in the world, Ruby!" She met his smile with her own.

As he settled in for the night, he let his gaze wander through the crowd of Huntsmen-to-be, his eyes catching some of the familiar faces. Ruby sat with a smoking hot blonde bombshell who obviously had done her exercises daily, if the muscles on her arms were any indication, chattering with her with a smile on her face. _'That must be her sister… So I guess that Ruby is either adopted or that her sister prefers to dye her hair… That's no biggie, the twins do that all the time…'_

His Scroll beeped at that moment, an image of Sienna's unsmiling face coming to the screen, the text below reading – **'They wanted me to undergo more tests… Save me.'** – the look on her face was just like a cat would look, if presented with a pill that had to go in 'the other way'. He shuddered faintly as he imagined the discomfort that Sienna was feeling, even as he turned his head to the direction of the sudden shriek, catching sight of the pale-haired Schnee girl saying something, with the blonde babe commenting something that went unheard in the din and clamour of teenagers getting together and showing off. His onesie was comfortable, though.

He snapped a quick picture of himself as he did so, the faint hint of amusement on his face standing out on the picture. **'No saving can be done. I did arrive at Beacon safely, though.'**

The response was swift, Sienna's irritated face appearing in his mind. **'Don't think that you'll be able to become a Huntsman just by surviving the exam. It takes skill.'** He could imagine her already commenting on it, as he looked at the Scroll. **'I've got some skills in the art of dancing. How hard could it be?'**

The response was being written, yet he laid his Scroll to the side when he caught sight of the young woman wearing a yukata, her golden eyes similar to those who had looked him in the eyes, the woman having been friendly as well as welcoming. **'Kali, I think I found your daughter.'** He typed the message before _ **h**_ e snapped a picture, making sure that it looked as if he was just taking a picture of the room, sending it to Kali in a moment.

A flurry of texting seemed to occur, as Kali's excited squeal would no doubt have sounded. The woman definitely was someone who would not be against having a bit of excitement in her life, even with how the world seemed to regard Faunus as a whole. **'Leave her be. She likes doing things on her own, even for the White Fang… The poor dear always has her heart in the right place, so just… know that she'll be needing a little space to adjust to things. She's always been shy to bring new people to us, so just… Let her be.'**

There was a tone to that message that conveyed the depths of the feelings of a mother for her daughter, the woman's tone in the message regretful, yet knowing that her daughter needed space. It was a little improper, but he could see the reasoning behind it. **'I'll keep an eye out for her, if she's having any trouble.'** It was the brother in him that wanted to see the girl happy. Kali was such a woman who wished nothing but the best for her daughter and it made him feel emotional, as he realized that the woman would gladly sacrifice anything to make her daughter happy.

' _Sienna may say that she doesn't care, but she's been a wonderful friend.'_ He wasn't going to deny Sienna the chance to be that friend, even if she was older than him. She was a woman who knew her role in the world and played it to the hilt, her eyes gazing boldly at the future.

* * *

Sienna felt bored out of her mind. The doctors in this place wanted her to stay a little while longer for observation, whilst her body ached and burned with the sensations that had been left behind from a bullet piercing her flesh.

It had been fate that he had called her right at the critical moment, giving her enough time to get twisted, so that it only hit her body. She would've been dead otherwise, given the accuracy of the bullet. _'They wish to eliminate that which they do not appreciate.'_

Her eyes turned dark, as she looked at the picture that she had been sent by the young man who had inadvertently saved his life with his message at that late hour, the look of his face igniting within her a small spark, even as she shuffled her legs slightly. _'You know that he'll be dead tomorrow… Initiation isn't going to be a good thing if the boy doesn't have an Aura to speak of… and I didn't feel a thing when I spoke with him.'_ She was not going to go and sacrifice all that she had for a simple boy who wasn't even eighteen yet, even with her body feeling a strange lightness with the care that he had shown her.

A new message reached her, the unfamiliar number enough to know that it was a new contact. _'I wonder who this is….'_

' **Miss Khan, through our mutual acquaintance of a certain young man, it has come to my attention that it would be beneficial for the two of us to throw aside our differences and to cooperate in order to realize our own goals.'** The name that signed the message was enough to confirm with her that it was someone either playing a prank on her, or that Willow Schnee had been charmed by the boy's foolish antics.

' **Take a picture of yourself. I don't trust someone claiming to be Willow Schnee… With a clock.'** She was well-aware that there would be rules set in place for the meeting between Schnee and White Fang, yet to see the woman approach her out of the blue like this… Strange things were happening.

A picture arrived nearly a minute later, the sallow-looking face of Willow Schnee appearing to her eyes, red eyes peering back at her, as if the woman had been drinking enough to make them bloodshot. _'Doesn't look as good as she should, there's makeup running, like she's been crying.'_ The fact that the Schnee sent such a bad picture was enough for her to play ball. **'Alright, I'm convinced.'**

It was hard to fake a date and time on a picture that was sent a minute after you inquired, unless you had thoroughly convinced the person to take one. It was insurance, for one. **'What do you want to work together on?'** The blunt question was enough, as the wound tugged slightly on her. She felt irritation burn in her, as she took a deep breath, ready to go and be the political animal once more.

' **Your dance partner… What does he like, sexually?'** She froze, her mouth actually falling open in surprise. _'That is… oh my, the blackmail potential of that statement… She's either as drunk as a skunk or she isn't thinking rationally anymore…'_ There was much to be gained from that statement, politically as well as personally. Willow Schnee, the wife of one of the biggest exploiters of Faunus labour on Remnant, actually inquiring about what a young man of seventeen could want in the arena of the bedroom… The tabloids wouldn't let up if that came out. Her own personal stake in things was there, though… If Willow could get tarred with the brush, the bad PR for the White Fang, led by her, would be equally as bad. She was as involved as Willow was, taking the young man to a very public gala and letting him run wild like that…

' **We aren't like that.'** She texted back, the woman's response taking only a few moments. _'Someone's got it bad… Or it's just that he's a good man.'_ Those blue eyes were a slayer of women's hearts, as well as those dance moves… You definitely would feel like a princess if you were in his arms. Her mind settled for the latter part, because she would not think about the former.

' **Then tell me what it would be like, with him. Does he like to look at you like you're the lowest of the low?'** She should feel offended by that, actually. Faunus did not enjoy being looked down on by their partners. **'Do you think he'd enjoy a bit of restraint?'** She got the mental image of Jaune tied down to some bed, a sadistic vibe arousing inside her. _'Wouldn't that be a good thought…'_

' **I don't really know…'** She typed back, even though the thought had roused within her a dark humour, as she knew that the young man was the type to be upstanding, her fingers tapping on the Scroll back to the other woman. **'Are you seriously planning on engaging in such things?'**

The answer wasn't long to come. **'How about we get together for a drink, compare strategies?'** She would normally dismiss such an idea out of hand, the Schnee woman no doubt having her own plans for strategical assessment and ensuring her needs were being met, but this… this was right out of the thought that the woman held, little to no planning needed in that respect.

' **I am kind of laid up in the hospital right now… So I will have to pass. I do have nothing else to do right now, since work seems to be closed at this hour of night… So we can probably call.'** She was not going to deny the woman a chance, after all. Where hardliners might think that the best way to get Faunus acceptance was through absolute control of the world, she valued the more 'discreet' manners of dealing with people.

Her Scroll rang nearly half a minute after the message had been received, Sienna giving a little grin to herself as she answered. "Yes, Sienna Khan speaking?" There was a pause on the other end, even as the dignified voice of the woman who had been the daughter of the founder of the Schnee Dust Company spoke.

"I am willing to cooperate with you, to make this world fairer on the Faunus as a whole. Consider it… a gesture of good faith." Sienna grinned, even as she shifted slightly. One powerful voice added to the clamour that the White Fang was making, would shift the balance slightly.

This was what she was fighting for…

* * *

Jaune woke up the following morning with a crick in his neck, his pained exclamation enough to draw attention to him from some of the guys that'd found a good spot around him, a tall fellow with gelled back red hair looking at him with an expression of cockiness. "Slept badly, buddy?" The young man asked, Jaune giving a long groan, as if to punctuate that.

"Bad crick in the neck. My bed was more comfortable than this..." He was met with a chuckle and a shake of the older guy's head, as the young man got up, stretching slightly.

"See you later, dude… If you survive initiation, ha!" Jaune made his way to the showers quickly, pulling his hoodie off, his body feeling the need to be cleaned up. As he entered the stall and turned the knob, he could feel the water spray hit him, warmer than expected, the dampness of the surroundings enough, as others showered before they were to go out to initiation. He felt the burn in his neck lessen as he allowed the warm water to wash over him, and he exited the shower stall a few minutes later, the heat of the water enough for him to be fully woken up. _'It's a good thing that I didn't wear Adam's jacket when I was on the airship… It's too nice to mess up with vomit.'_

A few splatters had gotten onto his hoodie, to his great detriment. It had sprung the nickname Vomit Boy from the young woman who apparently was Ruby's sister. There had been no word from Sienna yet today, the woman obviously busy with something work-related, even as she had remained silent mostly aside from her 'Good luck' kiss, that had been entirely out of the blue.

Thinking back to that moment, he wondered whether he'd make sense of those feelings that were now pushing through his system, through his very mind, thinking about how soft those lips had been. He absently touched his lips, even as he pulled his hoodie a little closer, to try and get the warmth back to his body. It would be time to get the armour on soon enough.

Coming across two familiar faces, one looking like she was about to declare that it was soon to be time to bend the redhead over some locker and molest her like it's nobody else's business, he decided to interfere. "Hey there ladies…"

He flashed his most winning smile, the one that Sienna had called 'a mix between an inbred Faunus and a human trying to look cute', looking at the redhead. "How about you sign up with the winning team, my glorious saviour from motion sickness?" He winked at the girl, spotting a faint blush on her face as he did so. _'Who knew that the cheesy lines would work? Thanks dad, for being awesome, up wherever you are in heaven.'_

"You cannot think that she would be interested in a doofus like you, you… you…" He narrowed his eyes, seeing the indignation in the white-haired girl's eyes, her words having been impolite. "Winter Schnee, right? How about you keep your mouth shut for once and let me talk to the lady, instead of assuming that she'd want whatever deviancy you've got cooking up in your mind, eh?"

He wasn't going to let one of Willow's daughters make a victim, and he didn't really care whether he had the right one or not. The woman herself had lamented for nearly three whole hours about how her daughters had both decided to shun their dear mother… and whilst Willow herself was a woman who didn't function very well, he still felt bad for her.

"Why, the nerve! I would never!" The uppity look on the pale-haired girl's face was annoying. Willow at least showed regret, but this uppity little girl seemed to have it set in her mind that SHE was the one who could dominate a conversation.

"How about you go over somewhere else, maybe try your sick perverted games somewhere else. This cute lady here isn't interested in you, so you should perhaps take the advice I'm giving and find some other girl to terrorize." He wrapped an arm around the redhead's shoulder, pulling her away slightly.

The red cheeks and the bloody murder that was being wished upon him was a good look for the pale-tressed girl. "Do you know who this is?" She hissed at him, pointing at the redhead that he was currently sheltering from her.

"Someone who isn't interested in your perverted lesbian antics, Winter." He didn't give a damn as to what image he gave to the girl, even as he heard someone speak up behind him.

"Ooh, the party's just about to start, eh?" The boisterous tone of the sister of Ruby came, as she appeared from the direction of the showers, Ruby following behind her older sister in a demure and subdued fashion.

"Hey Jaune!" She chirped, and Jaune looked at the two of them for a moment, his height the greatest, with only an inch or so difference between the tall redhead and himself.

"I suggest you keep on walking, before the little Miss Schnee-gnome here gets it in her mind to molest you." He could hear the 'I would never!' from the girl, yet he tuned her out already. "Alright, miss… eh, whatever your name is."

The smile on the girl's lips was dazzling. "Pyrrha Nikos." She said, her eyes looking at him and he shrugged. She seemed to take heart in that shrug, as he did not really care whether she was someone famous or not.

"A pleasure to meet you, Pyrrha." He said, warmly smiling at her. It was clear to him that it was something of a good deed that he had managed, as she pushed against him. "Ah, my name's Jaune Arc. Sweet, short and it rolls off the tongue like you wouldn't believe! Most of the ladies love it… though some do a bit too much." He thought back to the rather racy commentary that he'd gotten from Willow, the apologies and the lewd sexual references both forming a contrast.

Thinking about the difficulty that he had with the Schnee brought back the image of that young girl who had just about thrown a hissy fit, turning his gaze to the red-faced ball of anger. "Oh, you're still here." He said, as he leaned forward and sniffed, audibly. "No alcohol… I guess you're not going to molest my friend over here. Yet." Jaune's eyes met hers, as they flashed with pain and confusion, tears welling up a little, as she pressed her lips closer.

' _I know that look. She's going to be in tears in a moment… perhaps I was a little harsh.'_ The image of the woman who had broken down flashed before his mind once more, and the girl's mouth opened, his finger pressing to her lips. She looked like she was just about ready to burst into tears. "Hold up, hold up." He let Pyrrha go, as his other hand laid on the girl's shoulder, finger still against her lips..

"You can't go and bully people like how you've been doing." He said, as if talking to a child. Her eyes were a little teary, even as he looked in her eyes. He smiled, unintentionally. "If you act like you're some sort of snooty heiress who can buy everything that she wants with her mommy's money, you're never going to have any real friends."

His finger kept pressed to those lips, his eyes left on her, as he tried to impress that lesson on her. "Lien does not make one happy… and neither does being a needy girl who tries to bully others into entering a relationship with her make one happy." The girl's eyes teared up, her demeanour subdued, and he could feel the raw emotion, as he wrapped her in an impromptu hug. "Just let yourself go. Stop trying to buy friends… Just be the girl you want to be, instead of confining yourself to everyone else's ideas and ideals."

It was perhaps an impromptu speech, but the girl seemed to stiffen and then shake slightly, her head buried against his chest. The smell of her shampoo was something rich and fragrant, but it could not work against the more matured scent that clung to her mother, which had been ripened with an air of affectation and maturity. She reminded him of his youngest sister, who had been a bossy little brat when they were growing up. He patted the girl's back awkwardly.

' _I end up in a room with your mother mostly naked and now, two days later, I'm comforting you when you've had your priorities readjusted.'_ He wasn't going to give up on people that easily, though…

Thinking of Sienna, he felt a wistful smile come to his mouth. _'I'm a regular peacemaker, when it comes to this.'_ He wondered briefly how the woman would react if he told her that he'd made the Schnee woman's daughter cry.

"I… I've done you a wrong." She said, as she pulled away, her body a lot stronger than he had imagined. Whatever they fed her, it must give her the strength of ten men… or he just was that weak. "My name is Weiss Schnee and I apologize for my misconduct. I should not have…" The apology was enough, even as Jaune could see the older sister hold up her scroll.

"It's alright, Snowy. We'll be good friends as long as you don't molest my little sister." Ruby squeaked something, red in the face, the girl known as Weiss giving a soft hiss. "I do NOT molest anyone!"

Pyrrha coughed. "Your demeanour could use a little bit of work… It is not that often that I get hounded so persistently… But I suppose it is the excitement of starting at Beacon at play, right?" The girl seemed to be willing to deal with it gracefully, as Jaune looked at the others, spotting their interest immediately.

"Would the first year students please come to the Cliffs for their initiation?" The speaker gave the words of the Goodwitch woman to the audience, and he swiftly went for his weapon, only to turn around and spot the redhead standing there, waiting for him.

"I'd love to be on your team, Jaune." She spoke his name, her eyes looking at him strangely, as if he had suddenly managed to leap to the top of her interest.

"S-sure." He couldn't suppress the biological reaction, even as he imagined a set of orange eyes looking at him in disapproval for responding like this. _'Beacon must be a school for supermodels, or it's just… not fair.'_ "So… What are you famous for, if Weiss wanted you to be on her team so desperately?"

The wan smile on her lips was like the one his sister wore when she spoke of her missions, the distrust in those eyes flaring up once more. "Just… some championships that I've won." There was more to the story, Sienna's natural paranoia rubbing off on him slightly, as he watched her face.

"Oh, a regular champion, eh? No wonder that you're so well put together." It was a compliment on her attire, yet she flushed red, her eyes looking down, doubtful of his words. "You look like a professional huntress, ready to go and be a hero."

She looked up at him, a smile on her lips. "Let's be heroes together, Jaune." She said it with such conviction that it made him wish that it would be true already. _'I'm going to be the best that I can be.'_

Sienna looked at her Scroll when it bleeped the following evening, having slept through most of the day after she'd gotten off the Scroll call with the Schnee after nearly five hours of talking about the little interesting bits about Jaune. Sienna supposed that this was a good base for a friendship, talking about a boy one found to be appealing to the eyes, yet Willow's efforts to steer the conversation towards the sexual made her feel… conflicted.

Yes, he looked good when he was all dressed up, sort of like Adam, minus the sad emo aura of 'I suffer for my girlfriend', with blue eyes that just made you want to grab his head and keep it there whilst you kissed him, or that soft nature that just understood, even after the exercise that they did, that she needed her space. Empathy was something that she enjoyed in any relationship, even if Kali had enough of it for three of her.

' **I passed initiation! Why didn't you tell me about Aura? If Pyrrha hadn't activated mine, I'd have been Grimm food!'** She looked at the message and mentally adjusted herself a little. _'A little indignant at this moment, but… not too unwelcome.'_

' **I thought you knew. There are a few young men who wish to enter Beacon, yet have not the skill for the recommendation. I had figured that you would have been the same.'** There was that delicious manner of feigning ignorance that she could pull off really well, even as the name Pyrrha struck out. _'Wasn't she a celebrity or something?'_

' **Oh. I didn't think that through, sorry.'** The apology made something inside her rise, as she gave a soft chuckle, tapping into the Scroll some stuff. **'So… Answer me this question: Do you like to be tied down whilst your lover makes love to you?'**

A rude question, yet the boy… no, the young man, owed her an answer. She held above his head that devious axe of his plans. The first year was an exploratory year, after all. Students who did not make the cut, would be reassigned.

' **What?'** The question came, and she sighed.

' **Whether you like to be tied to the bed and fucked, Jaune.'** It was a rude question, yet Willow had asked it. **'I'm asking because I'm bored out of my mind. There isn't exactly much to do here aside from work.'**

No need to tell the young man that she would probably allude to it in a conversation to Willow. One needed to tease the Schnee to keep their interest, after all.

' _This is fun, heh… It's been a while since I've pried at a young man's mind.'_ That she felt a thrill of something exciting running down her spine was just incidental, after all. A tied down human, at her very mercy… Now THERE was a thought.

Anyone who would see the savage grin on Sienna's face would be feeling fear rush through them.

* * *

 **Another chapter for The dance of tigers! I hope that you've had a nice year up until now. My cat died just before Christmas, so this is an ode to her, because she's always been the coolest and cutest little snuggler. She'll be missed. But this is gonna be a good story!**

 **Next chapter… the first few weeks of Beacon and the budding friendship between Willow and Sienna. There will be a conversation about alcohol. Oh, and more Jaune sections. He doesn't really**


	12. Steep Dip

**Chapter 12: Steep dip**

 **As for the person who asked why Jaune was referring to Weiss as Winter… Well, Willow wasn't specific about who the eldest daughter was and he forgot. All he knows is that she's a huntress, though Willow was more focused on her own personal failings than on anything concrete about her daughters. He did intimidate Weiss though, because he saw another Willow in the making. A snap judgment, based on how her mother acted. It's not always logical, but people judge others.**

* * *

The bell of the small café jingled as Jaune opened the door, the owner of the place looking at him for a moment. "Humans ain't allowed here, buddy. We're a refuge for those like us… You ain't got any business here and we won't take yers."

Jaune wasn't surprised to hear that, even as the red-haired man stood up from his seat. "Don't worry. This one was invited." The man looked at the redheaded man, all suave in his fancy coat, looking for a moment and then nodding. "As you say, Brother Adam."

Adam Taurus gave a faint nod, as he motioned for Jaune to take a seat. Jaune smiled kindly at the man. Persistence was enough for him to wear down the man's patience, and he had not been idle. With the daily conversations with Sienna, he had managed to get a decent idea of what exactly the White Fang was. A fight for liberty for those oppressed by the unfair system put in place after the Great War.

"So…" The man's voice was husky, as he looked at him. Jaune wondered briefly whether the man had slept, bags under his eyes enough to show his weariness. "How is she doing?" The question was expected, as he knew well that the man in front of him held a vested interest in the Faunus teammate of his best friend.

"Still wearing the bow. She's not exposing herself. I sent a few pictures to Kali." The woman could be awfully persistent. He had been dragged into a group conversation a few days ago called 'Jaune's Dancing club', the numbers corresponding with the people that he knew. Ghira had only given a brief **'Hello'** before he went silent… and Kali opened the floodgates of communication.

It was a good thing that they were so friendly, because the woman's prying questions could be a little bothersome. It reminded him of his older sisters, always asking 'what do you like to eat?' and 'how do you like your women?' with Sienna adding her own commentary, usually full of sarcastic wit, filling in the blanks with **'The flesh and blood of innocent Faunus'** and **'Preferably human'**.

His response that he quite enjoyed Mistralian food was a surprise to Sienna, with Kali making a mention about how she _just_ knew some recipes that he might enjoy and that, if she were ever in the region again, she'd make him some kick-ass curry. Dropping a hint that Sienna might enjoy cooking for him had been done in a personal message to him, a picture of a winking Kali as enough encouragement that it probably should only be asked after a generous amount of time had passed and she was in a good mood.

' **I don't really distinguish, I mean… There's nothing really wrong with Faunus or humans, right?'** Had been his answer to the last question. It had been silent for half a day in THAT conversation before Sienna spoke up. It might've been the fact that it had been night-time when he'd answered, his Scroll pinging a few times an hour when someone updated the conversation with another comment, yet it was a soothing comfort that the response from Sienna was **'Good. That is an open mind.'** To which he'd responded with – **'An open mind and a willing body!'** just as his sister had said, once upon a time.

The picture of an unimpressed Sienna looking at the camera was sent, with a small text of ' _Really?'_ below. It was a sign that she showed her affections differently, as the conversation between her and Kali seemed to be more on the level of sisters, undoubtedly due to their long connection. He'd heard from Adam that Sienna had been one of the original members of the White Fang.

"That woman would be someone who would be very… exaggerated at times." The man chose his words carefully, even as the owner came to him, the tail that swished behind him his Faunus trait.

"What can I get you?" The question came and he wondered for a brief moment, before he answered. "A cappuccino, please." He pulled out his wallet and put a five Lien chip out for the man, who nodded and took the chip. It was probably a little over the cost of a cappuccino, but he knew that he should at the least help out those who were struggling.

Sienna could go on for hours about how things were with the Faunus in the world and he had seen them at the flower show as well, their manner still with that bearing, yet their clothing showing their impoverished state. It was not something that he'd like to see, yet he knew that with people like Sienna and Adam at the front lines, there would be a radical change.

"She looks better." Adam commented, as he showed the picture of Team RWBY, with his friend Ruby Rose on the front of the formation, Yang half-hanging on her sister's shoulder in an exaggerated motion, trying to grab the Scroll out of Ruby's hands, Blake's disinterested look aloof and cold, whilst Weiss seemed to be trying to imagine that she was elsewhere with her mind. "A pity about the Schnee, though…" The man had a grudge against the Schnee family, or so he had told him.

The man's thoughts on the contact that he'd had with Willow Schnee herself had not been pried at yet… as Jaune knew that such news would obviously be received badly. Adam was… misguided, in some ways. He thought not about the long-term benefit but instead of that, only at the immediate ones that served his cause.

How did he know that facet of the man's personality? It was simply by the way that the man invested himself in the cause, how he shopped. Whenever a shirt was damaged, the man would go and shop for a new one, instead of buying stuff when it was cheap and in bulk. It was something that his sisters had taught him, though their version of things might be different from others. Knowing where to buy cheap tampons wasn't something that Adam would need to know, though he did look like he needed one sometime for when he got too passionate.

"She's alright. We're cool right now." Jaune responded. Adam mumbled something about putting the girl on ice permanently, yet Jaune chose to ignore that comment. Adam made such jokes often and it wasn't fully clear whether the man was serious or not. Sienna certainly did not have any murderous impulses in her. She might be a bit of a harsh woman but once you got to know her… she could be such a lovely woman, passionately caring for her people and acting like a rough, tough woman who wore an armour of spikes.

Kali called it 'being a paper tiger', but why Sienna had just remained silent for a whole day and sent 'moody-looking' pictures at the chat was enough for him to realize that Sienna Khan was more than just a pretty face. "Say… Adam?"

The man looked up, his face humanized, from that look of angsty anger that he got sometimes. It was his 'Adam Combat Face', when he was looking really serious. "Did you ever think about just buying her some flowers and saying that you're sorry? I'm… I'm not TRYING to say that you should… But…" That moment he faltered, as the man's eyes looked at him, their emotions fierce and bright in them, as if he had ignited something inside him.

"At least… Make amends. I don't know what you've said to her to make her leave, but it's tearing you up inside." There was a softness to the man's eyes, as he looked down, his fist balling as it leaned on the table, a deep inhale and exhale enough to show how affected he was by those words. ' _Good…'_

"I just… I just CAN'T." The man said, as he looked down still, something wet hitting the table, as he shook once, a deep inhale and exhale, the exhale shuddering with the breath, as more liquid hit the tabletop. Jaune knew that it wouldn't be right to put his arm on the man's shoulder, that was not how you treated a fellow dude.

"Of course you can." Jaune said, as he leaned forward and laid a hand on the other man's shoulder, as more droplets hit the tabletop, the shuddering inhale and exhale of the man enough to show his emotions about the way that things were proceeding, the man's eyes closing, even as a deep sound came from within. "Everyone deserves a second chance, Adam."

The ping of his Scroll came and he ignored it, as he looked at the man, who looked up. Eyes that had seen much looked back at him, a faint smile on the man's face, as the tears dripped down his nose. "You know…" The man closed his eyes, another deep sigh coming from that mouth.

"I've killed humans." Jaune stiffened slightly, not fully believing that the man was a murderer, Adam looking at him with an expression on his face that was doubtful. "They would've killed Ghira if I hadn't… if I didn't…" The man's voice sounded far-away, as the reminiscing of those memories seemed to take much out of him. "They kept Blake innocent. Kali's been shot a few times, yet she never really holds it against the people who hurt her."

It was news to him, that such a lovely woman could be shot at. Kali Belladonna embodied everything that a mother should be, even if she teased Sienna mercilessly. "So much blood… and the people… They cheered on me. For doing what I had done, for what…" the man's hand tapped at the mask that laid on the side, the mask that he'd worn from time to time, in order to hide his face from the people.

"It's okay." Jaune said, trying to offer comfort to the man, whose back of the hand brushed against the eyes, coming away wet with the tears. "We all make mistakes… But you saved Kali's husband."

Adam seemed to grow quiet and then sighed deeply. "You're… You're quite something, Jaune." There was a genuine tone to his voice that seemed to be deep within, as he seemed out of breath for a moment, the case which held his sword at his side, even as he looked at him for a moment. "I'm…" The man's cheeks actually blushed, as a smile that could slay most women like a sword to the gut would, blossomed on his face.

"Let's be friends." There was definitely something in the man's voice that seemed almost shy, as if he had difficulty with admitting that.

"Aren't we already friends?" Jaune replied, the man's face showing surprise, as Jaune extended a hand. "Jaune Arc, pleasure to be your friend!" Adam's hand reached for it and his grip was strong, as he shook it.

"Adam Carmine Taurus, a pleasure." At that moment, Jaune could feel the man's genuine trust in him, even as his scroll beeped once more with another message, and he glanced down. "It's awfully busy… Kali must be awake." The man snorted, his hand pulled back as he pulled his Scroll out as well, checking his own messages.

"Sienna definitely is awake." The man said, as he looked at the screen, Jaune watching his own Scroll's message feed pop up.

Three messages from Kali and one from Sienna… and a video file from Willow. _'Better watch that later on.'_ There was enough to be said about that crazy woman, but she did not seem shy in showing her interest in him. The prying questions of **'What sort of thing do you like your woman to wear before sex?'** and **'If, hypothetically speaking, you came across me, restrained to a bed, what would you do?'** were just too obscene, yet he had also the odd feeling of satisfaction well up inside him, as he realized that the woman was interested in him… and he didn't feel that it would be too harmful to answer the questions.

' _I'm such a hypocrite… I should keep her at arms length, but…'_ She had a gorgeous set of legs and was well shaped for a woman in her matured years. If Sienna had not been there… He would find it hard to resist the urge. With some of the photographs that had been sent to him…

Let it be said that the flesh was weak. Very weak. He didn't have that great a relationship with Weiss, but telling her that her mom was sending him all sorts of racy pictures… well, he could see that going well. Mount Weiss, short as she was, would explode.

His partner was fabulous, though. Pyrrha just knew everything that there was a need to know. Even in Remnant History, she had been his aide in his search for answers… and Vacuan Ascendancy-related questions. How she knew that General Maruun had been stationed at Fort Umbra was still beyond him, yet she seemed to always have something prepared to challenge him.

A message popped up, the face of Cardin on the blurb, as the message read – **'Bring some nice treats for us, Jauney Boy… Oh, and spot for us, would you? You're my best friend, after all.'** – it could not be said that he knew well how to deal with the blackmail, even with the other teen continuing to press that fact in his face all the time. _'It's not like… Not like he'd do something to actually harm me, right?'_

"What's the matter?" He heard Adam say, even as a pained grimace settled on his face, a reminder of the things that had been done.

"Just… a schoolmate." Adam looked shrewdly at him. Jaune gritted his teeth. "It's something that I have to do myself."

A raised eyebrow was enough. "Jaune… I'm your friend, if what you're saying is true. Tell me what's the matter." The forceful tone of Adam's voice was enough to make him give in, the deep explosive sigh that came from his mouth enough to make the other man know that it was fairly serious.

"There's this guy, he found out about the faked transcripts…" There was a frown on Adam's face, as the man's hand went for his weapon. Jaune had seen the tic before, when they were in a public place. Adam and his sword were hardly ever separated, and secretly Jaune wondered whether he slept with it as well… but he hadn't dared to ask. The image of Adam with his sword next to him, wrapped in a protective blanket was not something that he would imagine easily.

"And now he's blackmailing you." Adam finished the sentence, even as the hand dropped back on the table. Adam looked him right in the eyes. "Hit him hard, when he doesn't expect it. Drug his food, take him to some isolated place and… Wait, I'll give you a link." The man's hands went to the scroll, and after a moment, a file was sent.

' _How to abduct and torture a human in ten easy steps_ _'_ was the title of the file, and Jaune opened it up to see a small picture of the base of a human skull, with instructions how to hit and with what sort of force, explained in simple terms. _'This is ghastly.'_

He looked at Adam, who looked inordinately smug. "Use that, and make sure that he respects you. No lasting damage though… I reckon that you look into the latter sections as I don't think you've got the stomach for doing the knifework." _'Knifework?'_

He made sure to look at it, even as he mustered a smile. "Thank you." He said, though he doubted that he'd need to use it. Adam nodded, as if it were evident.

"You need to hit em hard and just keep on pushing them until they respect you. The strong get respect, the weak… They're trampled underfoot." The man's voice spoke with reason, as Jaune grabbed his cup of cappuccino, taking a sip from the brew and finding it to be a little bitter. Some sugar added later, stirred with the spoon that had been provided, and he tried it again. _'Better.'_

"I'll… I'll see what I can do."He said, even as Adam nodded. There was a certain restlessness to his manner of moving, as he got up. "Hey, little brother… I've got to go. Sienna's summoned me to do some work for her." The pat to his shoulder was enough for Jaune to know that the man had somewhat accepted him, as his eyes flashed with that intense look, as he walked out. "Thanks for the tea, Brother Pedro." Adam said, as the bell jingled once to signal his departure.

' _And that's how things end with him.'_ Jaune wondered, even as another message popped up on the screen, Cardin adding a few more sentences. **'Dove wants popcorn, Sky wouldn't mind a fresh burger… oh, Russel needs some new weapons grease, if you'd be so kind as to pick it up… The Beacon stuff just is too rough on his weapon, so you'll need to get the fancy stuff.'**

Jaune's face firmed, as he looked at the message. _'Fuck you… I should just do as Adam asked…'_

He tapped Sienna's icon on the message log, and then tapped in a message – **'Going to deal with some annoying things in the Adam fashion… I'll let you know if I've survived.'** – before he finished off his cappuccino, getting up from his seat and walking up to the owner of the quaint little café. "The cappuccino was really nice, I'll see whether I can come back again." The man nodded tersely, still a little on edge, undoubtedly by the fact that he was a mere human.

As he exited the café, he looked up at the skies. _'The worst that they can do is beat me up… But if I'm the one beating them up, I can at least state that I've got the skills to take down a few novice Huntsmen. That has to count for something, right?'_

* * *

Sienna looked at the readout on the screen of her personal computer, before she looked in the direction of the man sitting opposite of her, the smug grin on his face something that she'd seen before. "Double the offer and I'll consider it." She heard the man say as she looked at the screen, the public office of the White Fang exactly where she would consider doing this type of business.

Contracts for renting space had to be booked in advance, even as she knew well that inviting the people to such an event might be something of a danger for the human landlords… Yet there was still the public to consider, even as the smug smile on the man's face was enough.

"I was referred to you by an acquaintance. Are you sure that you wish to do this?" She had her finger hovering over the call button on the intercom, the 'acquaintance' that she had spoken of waiting in the room beside her, ready to be called in at first notice. What a set of shades, a wig and some additional makeup could do to a woman… It was magical.

"My offer, Miss Khan, is solid. For such an organization… Why, it would cast a certain light on my business ventures if I just let… your sort of people rent." It was plain discrimination, yet she did not call him out on it. The man, Milton Beau-de-Sange, was a man who held control over most of the spaces that could host the number of people who would be attending a rally.

"Whoever your acquaintance is, they surely must not have heard of the recent manner of news about the White Fang that has come to my ears… it's such a shame, really… Terrorist acts, Miss Khan, can never be condoned." The button on the intercom was pressed and she knew that there would be an encounter.

The door behind the man opened and Willow strode in, fixing her hair slightly, the wig had been a mousy brown colour, the bodyguards filling into the room behind her, dressed incognito with some additional changes. "Terrorist acts that have not been proven… Yet." Willow's voice came from behind the man, who grunted something.

"You can bluster all that you want, but you animals are-" The man froze, as Willow stepped into his field of view, the dress that she wore having a pattern sown into it that looked quite enchanting, the cut of the dress modest and covering most of the important parts, as she looked at the man with an expression of haughty elegance.

"I would be an expert in knowing how these… animals… do treat people." Willow's dig at the White Fang's negative publicity was something that Sienna would allow, even as Willow sat herself down on the desk, much like a secretary would in those cheesy porno's that Sienna most totally didn't watch at all during the long nights when she couldn't sleep and the only type of entertainment was to be found on the adult channels.

"But Mister Beau-de-Sang… My 'friend' Sienna here has made a generous offer… it might just be in your best interest to accept it… lest I grow displeased." The displeasure of a Schnee could render one destitute in a flash, with the temper that they held and their financial worth in the world. One Schnee was worth a kingdom's economy, or so the saying went.

"Miss Schnee, it is… It is an honour to finally meet with you." The man straightened in his seat, extending his hand as if to shake Willow's, the haughty look on her face enough, as she stared at the offending hand and then looked at him with a look of 'Are you really going to try and touch me, lowly mortal?', her fingers tapping on the desk. "Thirty percent off her first asking price and you will remain polite…"

Willow's lips curled into what Sienna had dubbed the 'Shark-Faunus in a pond of bleeding humans' smile, showing her teeth and making the canines look rather pronounced, like some sort of pale vampire that fed on the blood of the innocent.

Of course, the thought that Schnee were vampires that suckled on the flesh of Faunus totally was something that she was trying to move away from. They were garbage humans, mostly… but they held their uses for intimidation purposes. _'Too bad that they're not Faunus… They'd be worth it on the negotiating table.'_

The effect of Willow Schnee herself making the offer, with a look that could not be denied to be effective, was enough to make the man break out in a cold sweat, his attention riveted to the sight of the woman, who seemed to have the power to break him with a snap of the fingers in the economical sense, the bodyguards at his sides looking like imposing meat walls, ready to take care of any of the issues that could crop up.

"Miss Schnee, I…" The man started, yet Willow's head moved slightly, an eyebrow moving up with that smooth dedication, as she looked at the man as if he were some sort of garbage collector.

"The offer has been stated, Mister Beau-de-Sang. A Schnee does not negotiate." There was no negotiation in that voice of hers, as she glanced at Sienna, reaching out and brushing a finger under the chin of the Faunus woman, like one would do to a cat.

"Stop that." Sienna hissed, Willow giving a teasing smile, directed right at her, before the face frosted over.

"The little pussycat here wishes to rent space… And I am more than happy to lend myself to a charitable cause." The woman's voice was enough to show the strength, the man not even having dared to look away. The action of the Schnee was impudent and no doubt chiding to any Faunus subjected to it, yet she could not deny that the man had looked at the Schnee with a modicum of respect. _'The roles that one plays are not easy.'_

"I… It will be done, Miss Schnee." The man said, looking at Willow for her approval, the eyebrow rising once more, as her gaze went to Sienna, lips moving slightly, giving enough of a clue about what would be done.

"Miss Khan will be more than happy to hear of your smooth acceptance." The man's voice was trivial, to Sienna's ears, as those frosty blue eyes met her own with a challenge. Her hand reached out and laid itself on the Schnee's body, the brief jolt that went through the woman's spine unseen by the human's eyes, yet there was a definite manner of shifting done by the woman.

"Ah… Eh… Glad to be your partner in this endeavour, Miss Khan." The man said, even as Sienna felt the glee of vindication surge through her. _'This is great…'_

"You may go, Mister Beau-de-Sang… I will look forward to the grand event… Though I would not recommend making a personal acquaintance. Some of our members might hold… grudges." That there were plenty of things to do aside from lynching the humans that came to their rallies, was of course, a given.

"Ah, yes. Of course, Miss Khan." Willow smirked at her as the man beat a hasty retreat, his body moving as swiftly as it could, his gut moving in an awkward manner as he bumped against the chair. _'You need more cardio in your life, Mister Beau-de-Sang…'_

"Happy, Pussycat?" The woman said, once the door finally clicked shut. The woman sat herself down in the chair that had been vacated after a moment, crossing her legs. "Or… perhaps this was the wrong angle?" The woman's smirk was infuriatingly smug, as she leaned forwards and pressed her palms to the desk, her face close to Sienna's own.

"We could manage… but your help is appreciated, Snowy." The snort that Willow gave was the least elegant sound that she'd made thus far, as she brushed a hand over her own shoulder.

"For a little pussycat who's got her claws in a nice piece of humanity… I'd say the same." The woman knew well that there were barriers, even as she snapped her fingers. "I brought drinks. Let's get drunk."

The fine bottles of alcohol that had been set on her work desk were enough for her to be distracted, even as she looked at her schedule, seeing an appointment on the latter end of the afternoon. _'I should probably call Adam and have him go to the place… He's pretty hands-on… There was something about the docks in the small notes below the archived folder, right? Did we have something at the docks area going on? I'm sure that he'll know more about it.'_

The minutiae of the White Fang's management was not something that she would easily be able to peruse, as it was not her speciality. Of course, there were plenty of things that WERE, but those had to be calculated into the manner of things that one could do with the limited resources and manpower that were obtained.

"Could you cancel my appointments for the rest of the afternoon for personal appearances?" There was just one slated, after all, so it could be moved. If she was getting smashed on liquor, it would be a darn good bottle. Her eyes met with the Schnee's as the glasses were put on the table, the Schnee symbol on the side enough to remind her about her own side. "I'll call Adam myself and see whether he can do the public speaking. He's got a way with words that's just like a sword stabbing right through the wheat." She'd already pressed Adam's name, the call connecting.

"Adam?" She heard the Schnee already prepare the liquor, as she called the number that belonged to him. "Can you take care of the performance of the afternoon? I've been…" The glass of alcohol that hovered before her nose was enough to make her feel the thirst, as she smelled the exquisite scent of the strong liquor. "Delayed by some personal business."

The assurance that he would do a good job was enough, yet there was something that seemed to bug the man. There were a few things that could be said about Adam, yet there clearly was something in his manner of speech that showed his distraction. "Am I… wrong?"

"Wrong in what?" She asked, as she sipped the strong liquor. She nudged the speakerphone on, the sound of the man's voice. There was some genuine tone of concern in that voice, as the doubt in his voice clued her in about how his feelings were.

"I've… killed. Was I wrong in saving Ghira's life?" The silence that fell in the room was pressing, Willow remaining silent, knowing that this was personal stuff.

"Of course not. If that man had shot Ghira… He probably wouldn't be here with us. There are good humans, though…" Jaune came to mind, even as a humourless laugh came from the man, a sound that was all too often heard from him when things about humanity were spoken. _'The grudge he bears is deep.'_

"I called him my friend today." The admission was something that puzzled her. _'Called who a friend today?'_

"Who… exactly, are you calling a friend?" Her mind went through several of Adam's acquaintances, the knowledge of those acquaintances being spread mostly across the world keeping her mind occupied with other things, even as she let her gaze rest on the phone.

"Jaune Arc. I've… It just slipped out, I don't know why but… He just…" The man gave a mirthless laugh again, a little hint of desperation. "He just… gets it, you know. Like… he's thinking the best of people and you just want to throw him under the nearest bus and then he just goes and…"

She could imagine him throwing his hands up, like he usually did when emotions got too heavy. He'd cut something then, and be rid of all that frustration… but it was still something uniquely Adam. "Fuck, I'd accept him as a Brother of the Fang just for his…" The man trailed off. "He showed me a picture of Her again."

Sienna winced, visibly. She could see Willow's raised eyebrow, the bottle held up, the glass in her hands empty. _'I'll need a fucking drink if he goes on about Blake again…'_ She was not going to listen to Adam rant for hours on end about Blake's supposed 'betrayal' again. It'd been bad the first time, when she'd been sixteen, having decided that she'd spend some time apart because of 'stress', and he'd just gone nuts. That had been nearly ten hours of 'Blake, Blake, Blake' to the point where she just wanted to crawl in bed, have some god-damn orgasms to just wear her out so that she could sleep and not be regaled with his tale of the fucking glory of Blake Belladonna.

"She's with a Schnee on her team… Can you believe that? Blake Belladonna and Weiss fucking Schnee on the same team! It's a wonder that she's not been fed drunk and pushed into the meat grinder or something! Everyone knows that the Schnee eat Faunus sausages for breakfast! My little Blake, all hurt and alone, no doubt hiding from her teammates about the true her..." Willow's face turned stormy, as she looked at the phone, yet she did not speak up.

"That blonde bimbo that's her partner no doubt uses her to perform wicked sex acts with her all night! That's supposed to be me, Sienna! I'm supposed to perform wicked sex acts! You know how she likes to be tied down and then taught the supremacy of Faunuskind! No human can compare to our stamina!" _'This is veering into the TMI department with the speed of a charging bull… no pun intended.'_ The man's voice seemed to be losing it, and she'd imagine that he'd make for quite the sight, if he wasn't talking and driving. _'Probably not, there's no wind sounds.'_

"Adam…" She said, her voice infused with a bit of strength, even as the man seemed intent on continuing, the glass drained in a flash. _'Alcohol, my one true love… How you make shit like this bearable, I don't know.'_

"She should be mine… Jaune said that I'd best apologize, that it's never too late." There was a faint tone of hope in his voice, the twenty-three-year-old looking no doubt like the lost little bull in the china shop as he did. "Do you think she'd like flowers? Red roses, just to show how much I care for her?"

"Adam… She needs her space. You know that Ghira and Blake are pretty similar. Don't oppress her and let her come to you. I know your relationship is going through some rough patches, but I've been there as well. Now… Get going. Someone has to represent the White Fang, whilst I'm tackling the mortal enemy of all Faunus here." The man knew about her previous relationship, before the stuff with the High Leader gig really took off. That she was chatting with Willow Schnee and well on her way to get buzzed was just the side-effect of being a good businesswoman.

"I'll be at the appointment in thirty minutes." He said, finally putting the conversation on the regular track. "Sorry for… distracting you. I might just… Need a little bit of venting."

The connection cut off then, and Sienna looked at Willow Schnee, who looked amused by something. "I'm pretty sure that my sausages of this morning were made with 100% Vacuan Beef… Oh, and for the record… The only sausage I'm interested in is attached the boy that you've groomed, Sienna."

The admission of Willow's desires was as expected, as she refilled her glass with the bottle, noticing that it was already half-way gone. "Not if I can help it. You Schnees can talk a lot of shit about owning people, but my boy Jaune's the best human that I've found yet… No snowy Dust-puss is going to be taking him away from me."

Dangerous conversations, these were, but the privacy of her office was guaranteed. She personally swept the room for listening devices once every day, so there were none who could listen in easily.

"How about we have a little wager, huh?" The Schnee grinned, as she locked gazes. "Finish a whole bottle… Loser's got to send him a racy picture." She grabbed the next bottle, as the Schnee did the same. How the woman had gotten a cooler into the room was beyond her, but she started to chug like her life (and modesty) depended on it.

This thing was as good as won, after all. She was Sienna Khan, after all!

* * *

Jaune's face did not change, even as he slammed the door shut once more, the dull thwack as it hit the head of Cardin Winchester that'd been put between it enough to make him feel a sense of savage vindication, even as he watched the blood leak from the face that he'd made look like a new work of art. "And if you EVER do something like that again to an innocent Faunus, I will personally make sure that you will have a permanent tattoo on your forehead, put there by yours truly with the tip of my sword."

Carving 'RACIST' into someone's forehead wasn't a thing that he would regularly do, yet the guide on how to abduct some sorry-ass bastard who'd offended you was pretty clear on how to scar someone's body in the easiest and swiftest fashion… even if he didn't have a blowtorch ready.

"Phleashe!" Another THUNK was heard, as he shut the door… well, tried to, the head hitting the ground. "You're going to stay away from my friends and team, you hear… If I ever hear a single peep about you bullying someone ever again…" The door slammed once more, the definite sound of a broken nose heard, even as the pleading sobs were coming. "Shorry Jhonne, I'm sho shorry!"

He grabbed the tall teen by the cuff and then dragged him over to one of the urinals, laying that head in there and flushing a few times. _'If he EVER looks at Pyrrha like she's going to be some sort of piece of meat, he's going to be dead as a doornail.'_

His team was great. His team was fabulous. His team was composed of some of the most wonderful people that Beacon had, with him excluded from that, of course. The drowning sounds of Cardin were quickly starting to be annoying, even as he lifted the guy's head up, letting it drop on the floor, not giving a fuck whether Cardin laid there in a puddle of piss. "Remember, Cardin… Fuck up again and I WILL find you."

Ambushing Cardin with a message that said 'Come see me at the statue' and getting him into the bathroom was easy enough. Saying that he'd put the stuff on the third toilet from the right was also an easy task and the hit from behind had taken the tall teen off his guard, thanks to the collapsible sheath of Crocea Mors. It was heavy as hell, so it packed one hell of a punch… and once Cardin was down, a few good punches that went in his face had him quickly down for the count.

The blood on his knuckles was enough for now, even as he looked at the mess that Cardin made, a grin that wouldn't look out of place on Sienna's face appearing on his own. "Don't fuck with my team, Cardin… and I won't have to fuck you up." It's something that Sienna would have said. The ringing of his Scroll was loud, even as he picked it up, the number and caller ID registering as Sienna.

Cardin moaned slightly, and Jaune walked away, leaving the leader of Team CRDL there in the bathroom, the earbuds pulled out and into his ears, with the video feed immediately starting. "Hello?" He said, even as Sienna's face filled the screen.

"Jauney!" The cheerful Faunus squealed… yes, squealed, as she giggled, a flush on her cheeks, her arm reaching for something, as a bottle appeared in her hands, drunk from like it was a water bottle during the Tour du Vale. Her eyes looked at him and widened. "You'sh bleeding. That'sch bad. Verrrry bad." The drunken slur was enough to show the fact that Sienna Khan, leader of… some fancy organization, was drunk.

"It's not my blood." He said, as if to dismiss it and sound 'cool', though whatever measure one used to measure such a thing, it was hard to guess at. He turned the screen towards the form of Cardin and snapped a picture, the Scroll automatically sending it. "That jerk decided to blackmail me. Well, I took a page out of Adam's book."

The giggle from Sienna came like a charming surprise, as he turned away. "Sho good boy human… Yoush dessserve prize." A hiccup came from off-screen, as someone entered to picture, pressing against Sienna's face, the hair in disarray, eyes unfocused.

"Jaune! You're going to get your cock sucked by miss kitty here!" The rude and crass nature of her words were enough to make him roll his eyes. This was 'tame' as far as the Schnee's usual communication went. Sienna's eyes went cross-eyed as she looked to her side.

"Hey!" The indignation in Sienna's voice was enough, even as Jaune recognized Sienna's main office from the background décor. "Yoush won… Shhoooo…" The Scroll was set down and he could see the business suit that was shown by the top part, Sienna's usual business attire, something a lot different from the 'Formal White Fang' Mistralian outfit that she just wore casually when in the official buildings and during White Fang rallies.

"Shshur—praysze?" The last part sounded like she'd lost her way for a moment, even as the jacket was pulled open and the blouse with it, a few buttons pulled loose and… a deft black brassiere was exposed, the breasts contained within like the ripe apples that grew in the orchards during the harvest season, the hands grabbing them and pushing them up. The valley that it created was… pleasant to see. "You wiiinnnn, yay!"

He stood there, struck by the sudden sight of the skin, his body responding immediately, as he was lucky that he had put in the earbuds for the Scroll in, because this DEFINITELY was something that would get him weird looks. Leaning against the wall beside the bathroom, he took his time to look at the Scroll feed of Sienna groping herself, knowing that the woman's restrained persona in public was… wholly different when drunk. She had not really gotten drunk around him, yet… here she was.

"Hey Jaune…" Willow Schnee's seductive voice, a lot more capable of reasoning than Sienna's seemed to be, entered the picture, as a set of pale breasts stood out next to Sienna's, a grin on her face that would totally look out of place on Weiss' face if she ever wore one like it. "Surprise!"

He had to shift a little, as his pants felt enormously tight. He pressed the record button almost by reflex, even as Willow's hands massaged them. "Come, little kitten… Show the big bad human what sort of pussycat you are."

Whether it was because she was drunk or whether it was because of her natural resistance to such terms, Sienna's hands stopped and she grabbed Willow's shoulders, planting a kiss right on her lips, the Schnee woman's face shrouded for a moment by the short hair of the White Fang's leader, even as the kiss lasted… and he probably had some sort of fortuitous encounter with whatever spirits granted him luck, as the kiss lasted nearly ten seconds. "Thatzhh how you get fuck'd, Schnowey… Fuck'd, by that human's fuckin' ca-a… ah fuck, his xiao-long." The Mistralian term was easily tossed around by the Faunus woman, whilst Willow merely stared in silent amazement, her mouth open and her breasts still exposed.

"Enjoy, Jonney… Schnee an' me are gonna get sloshed…" The video call cut off at that moment and he just gaped for a short while, as he looked at the fading image, his mouth not closing after a moment. _'Gods above…'_

He definitely was going to polish his weapon tonight. Oh god, was he going to take a loooong shower because this… oof. He still possessed hormones and they were telling him that those two women were fiiiiine.

As he arrived at the door to the room that he shared with his team, he paused for an instant, before he opened the door up. Pyrrha stood there, in the process of getting her gear on, the undershirt that she wore not hiding her womanly curves at all, and the image of the two women getting frisky with each other sent a burst of pleasure through him again. _'Pyrrha's really nice, so I don't think that I'll ever stand a chance… And between me and Sienna… I don't know.'_

"Jaune! What happened to your face? Is it Cardin again?" Her voice sounded scandalized, as Nora's head appeared out of the bathroom that had been attached to the dorm, her eyes blazing with that boundless Nora Energy. "I'll break his legs! Break ALL of his legs!"

"No, no, this blood isn't mine." The worry in Pyrrha's eyes was enough for him to admit it immediately. "Cardin and I had a little chat." He paused, as he looked at his partner and smiled. "He's not going to bully anyone ever again."

The worry in her eyes went even more, as Ren emerged from the bathroom behind Nora, a can of hair spray in his hand. "Did you… kill him?"

His face showed the horror that he felt at the thought of killing someone. That just wasn't paying someone back, that was KILLING someone. "No! I just paid him back for his generous friendship, that's all!"

There was a pause, as his teammates looked at each other, Pyrrha being the first to speak up. "Jaune… I don't think…"

"You don't believe me, do you? Check the men's room in the second hallway from their room." Pyrrha and Nora looked at Ren, who shrugged.

"Now, I need to go and wash this off." He said, holding up his blood-covered knuckles. Cardin's face was good for taking punches, at the very least… it was a very sturdy head.

Now, Ren only had to return and inform his team about what he'd done to stand up for them and everything would be alright. Even if it did get him detention, they should have to understand that things were best settled with one's fists at times than between intrigues.

What sort of combat school did you have, if the students could not resolve things through violence, right?

Opening his scroll and putting the timer on, he pressed the message that he'd just received from Sienna, showing a picture of the two women currently engaged in a drinking competition… and topless. _'Whatever these two women think… I don't think they should drink. Well, drink together.'_

Alcohol just turned the kindest of women into rabid beasts… His sister could attest to that, with her own troubles…

He'd have to have a word with Adam about keeping Sienna away from alcohol… and a good one with Kali as well. Pressing the Faunus woman's name on the list, he shot her a quick message – **'Does Sienna have a drinking problem?'**

The answer was shot back swiftly. **'She's done something stupid again, hasn't she… That poor dear… She'll wake up in the morning with a headache and a sore throat and probably without any sort of memory of the things that happened… Just let her be and pretend that you didn't see or hear anything.'**

He was going to trust Kali's word on that… Yet… Damn. Those were some really fine breasts.

* * *

 **Portraying Sienna and Willow's alcoholism is mostly from personal experiences. Having one friend who's able to function and the other who… wasn't. Sienna and Willow are in varying states of drunkenness throughout the whole exchange with Jaune. Sienna is about 80% out for the count, with only the faintest thread of ability to keep standing, whilst Willow is about… 50% inebriated. It's got to do with alcohol tolerance levels. Sienna's hit by the liquor a lot harder than Willow, who has more tolerance due to being a drinker for pretty much the whole year, instead of Sienna, who only incidentally indulges like… once a week. Her schedule wouldn't allow for much, but her cooler is stocked week-round.**

 **Would Sienna have flashed her tits if Willow hadn't prodded her to? No. Would she have been so crude as to speak about his little dragon? Nope. In Vino Veritas… Or also known as 'in wine lies truth'. Quite a devious woman, that Willow. Still… Willow's perspective will come up again in a later chapter! See how the Schnee thinks about the Faunus leader… oh, and the latter will probably nurse a hangover with a 'why did I do that?!' expression on her face in the next scene that she'll appear.**

 **Until next time (in two weeks), ladies and gentlemen!**


	13. Skip to the next step

**Chapter 13: Skip to the next step**

 **Do beware: Red Bull inside.**

* * *

Consciousness came to her once more as the haze slowly lifted, the cover pulled off as she blearily stared at the clock. _'Ten at night… Gee, I wonder…'_ Staring at the clock, she wondered how things could have went so wrong.

Ever since that first drink that they'd had, things had just been going so wrong for her in her life. Willow Schnee's presence in her life had become something of a habit, an event that would have been unconceivable in the past, now becoming more of a routine. Without even considering her own stake in the world, it was plain treachery to the cause to have fun with a Schnee, drink yourself stupid and then get a pounding headache in the morning.

' _Time to check whether there's anything good in the news.'_ She could see the remnants of the 'hangover cure' of the last morning still standing in the glass, the mixture of squeezed lemon, lime and a generous dash of alcoholic improvement still there, though the fruit juice had settled. Slamming the glass back and feeling the haze clear off a little, she could not help but feel slightly awkward, even on a Saturday evening.

Plucking her Scroll from the table, she checked the messages, spotting a message by the Schnee with a small attachment. _'I should hate her… But she is kind of sweet in a similar way.'_ Just like the blonde who had brought them together. Sure, the Schnee was fascinated with the young man in ways that humans often were, the challenge posed by his behaviour and his own acceptance of Faunus as well as humans...

' _I'm NOT feeling tingles... I'm not feeling the tingles...'_ She couldn't help but imagine the look on his face if she were to indeed do as Willow had suggested a few days ago. Sure, the pictures that they sent had been absolutely beyond the pale, yet she... _'Fuck... I think I actually trust the human...'_

A pleasant heat came to her cheeks, as she looked at the attachment, a singular glass of what she could identify as Vacuan Voice, rum that really burned you out. Below was written – ' **How about we go singing together?'** – with Willow's usual font, a cursive one that made her look posh...

' _Wasn't so posh when she was telling me all about how she'd like to get herself a load of fried food and just eat herself full until she puked_.' She felt for the Schnee, though, as the situation with Willow's marriage, or rather... the extreme lack of comfort and friendships, seemed to be growing even direr by the day.

' _I can understand why she would want to have a boy-toy who treats her like she's just an average woman...'_ It was hard to admit to herself but she yearned for a moment when she could just hang up her suit and just stand in the kitchen, listening to her man come home, greet him with a smile and a hug, before listening to how his day had went. It was awfully 'house-wife-ey' but... She wanted to feel loved. Not just that empty feeling of when they tugged the condom off and you were left with the knowledge that you'd just paid for an hour of fun, with no meaning attached to it aside from the gratification that you got.

Opening a bag of crisps, she looked at the other messages that came in, sliding through them with disinterest. She could hardly care much for the budget reports right now, with the headache starting to become more like the dull ache her body felt every morning when she woke up after a heavy evening of binging with Willow. _'How many evenings did we spend getting sloshed?'_

It had gotten bad enough that her own assistant had requested that she be 'sober' for the next meeting. Breath mints could only serve so much before they became useless... So what if she had a bit of a teensy-weensy drinking problem, eh? Willow Schnee probably could survive in an aquarium filled with Golden Shepherd!

The crunch and salty taste brought her to a fresher start, as she started to type a response to the request, stating that she would handle it on Monday. Mondays were always the best days to handle stuff with the finance department, especially now that the situation in Vale was growing tenser. Parts of the White Fang had been decidedly conspicuous in their dealings, with rumour reaching her ears of a deal with that Torchwick fellow, whose comments on Faunus definitely did nothing to quell her own leanings. _'Humans will be racist towards us, just for existing...'_

She had moderated some of her beliefs. Humans... were still a very crappy sort of existence, as far as it came to her... but she would be able to admit to herself privately that not all were bad. She was not too inflexible... even if she did sort-of-see Willow Schnee as a friend. Not quite... but the woman certainly wasn't shy about airing Jacques Schnee's dirty laundry.

She was a politician, first and foremost. A leader of the people, who dealt with words and with deeds, who nearly got assassinated a month ago... and who definitely was going to eat something that was healthy in one of the next days or so. Junk food got oneself fattened up and that would not be great for her exercise regimen.

' **Hey Sienna, I hope you don't mind if I bother you for a bit, a friend has gone missing... If you don't respond, that's okay too! I'll just try Adam.'** She saw the message and blinked, checking the timestamp. _'That's... about... ten hours ago. Whatever's happened, it ought to have been cleared up. Better ask Adam when I've got a moment...'_ Another beep and a message appeared on her screen, Willow's face icon appearing next to it. – **'CHECK THE NEWS, TIGER PUSSY! NOW!'** With the crass nature of the message, she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the rude manner. She turned her head to the TV, which stood in the corner still, even as the bed sat there with comfortable softness. She got up and walked to the television though, knowing that this was something that seemed to have put a bee in Willow's britches.

She turned the television screen on, her eyes watching the lights on the side blink a few times before the screen lit up, showing what was apparently the docks in the industrial district lit up. Containers with the Schnee Dust Company logo were ablaze, Dust lighting up with every moment that the flames were flaring up. _'So... this is probably going to be some sort of Schnee Dust Company PR nightmare...'_ She would feel glad for such a thing any other day, if the newscaster hadn't been that Lavender chick with the bimbo tits and the attitude of 'I choke on my own pride every morning like a bitch' that just so rankled her.

"and with the recent developments, we can be assured that there are to be some repercussions for these actions, as the White Fang is known for their protests against the Faunus Rights Act's restraining of Faunus, which, in this humble reporter's mind, is illogical." The woman harped on, and Sienna wondered why the White Fang were mentioned, before her eyes caught sight of the White Fang members that were being led away in cuffs, for processing by the police. _'Well fuck me with a blender-chainsaw...'_

The nightmare of political trafficking was going to hit her hard. _'Fuck, this is going to be a nightma-'_

Spotting in the distance a familiar mop of blonde hair, she could feel something drop into the pit of her stomach that was disbelief and a little bit of amazement, as Jaune Arc, currently laid on a stretcher with a paramedic applying some pressure to his wound, gave a smile to... _'IS THAT ADAM? WHAT THE_ _ **FUCK**_ _?!'_

Her hands went for the Scroll again, dialling the number immediately. Answers were to be obtained, be it by tooth and claw or bite and sting... or whatever fancy way of saying that you'd have. _'That chucklefuck dared to bring MY human in danger?!'_

She was blind to the way that she'd just mentally referred to a human as 'hers', as if there had been no difference in his status to her. Her fingers found the button for the speed dial of her assistant though.

* * *

Jaune was unsure what to do with the news that he had been given only fifteen seconds ago by Ruby, whose silver eyes were tearing up already. "So, what you're telling me... Is that Blake ran off because she's secretly a Faunus and she's got an issue with Weiss?"

Ruby nodded, in her most endearing fashion. It totally wasn't fair to the brotherly part inside him that she looked like a younger sister asking for a big favour, and he glanced at his partner and at Ren and Nora. The latter two were looking at Ruby for a moment, still surprised by the way that she'd bashed open the door and shouted 'Blake's run away, please help!' and then explained, in her usual swift fashion, about what had happened.

"Yes! I think it's silly, I mean... We don't judge Weiss for being some stuffy heiress who occasionally acts like she's got a silver set of spoons in her mouth... though I still don't know what Yang meant with that. Weiss only uses one spoon, only for soup..." The young leader of team RWBY looked ready to be worried some more, the faint 'Hey!' that sounded from team RWBY's room vaguely sounding like Weiss. "So... Help me find our lost Blake!"

He frowned, as he pulled out his Scroll, pressing the button to call Kali and Ghira. "I'll see what I can do." He said, even as Pyrrha looked at him, her green eyes confused and a little questioning. She didn't speak, though.

"Ghira Belladonna speaking?" The face of the man appeared on the screen, as Jaune smiled. The man acted gruff, even though he was, in his wife's words, 'one of the loveliest grumpy man-cats ever!'.

"Hey Mister Belladonna, eh, could I speak with Miss Belladonna for a moment?" The man looked at him and then nodded. It was good that he'd have such a good connection with the mother of one of his best friends' teams. She'd know where to find Blake!

"Hey there Jaune dear... So, any problems with our little tiger kitten? Is she acting moody again and refusing to explain why?" The smile on Kali Belladonna's face was warm, even as Ruby gave a soft 'ooh!' sound, as she'd undoubtedly seen the ears on Kali's head.

"Actually, it is about Blake..." He started, Kali's eyes brightening, the smile turning up even more. It looked pretty darn radiant, he'd have to say. Ghira was pretty lucky with such a wonderful wife.

"Ah, don't tell me! She's totally being shy and declaring that she doesn't want anything to do with you, whilst secretly sneaking glances at you... Right?" The woman's eyes shone with joy, clearly knowing her daughter better than most, even as she looked at him expectantly, the room behind her visible as she held the Scroll up, a few men and women dressed in the formal business-suit style seated around her. The two Faunus had not really dressed up for the occasion, yet they still seemed to be in a meeting.

"Well... She's missing and I hoped that you might know what she's like when she wants to be alone... She had a spat with Weiss Schnee, I don't know if..."There was hesitation in his voice, as he had to guess at the reasons behind the spat, whether Blake had been open or not... There just wasn't as much a connection with Team RWBY as with his own team. That he'd insulted Weiss Schnee at the first meeting was sadly a mistake, the girl having been intimidated by his manner and whilst he had apologized, it had still set the tone for their interactions.

She'd give him glances from time to time, biting her lower lip as if she were about to say something, before her cheeks just flushed red with anger and she seemed to try and distract herself. _'She must dislike me a lot...'_

"Ah... Blake always was passionate about the organisation. I'm not sure... I'm not very familiar with Vale, but if she'd go somewhere... I'd say that you could probably find her around any White Fang office or maybe with Sienna... We trusted her with our little Blake's safety, after all." The woman's voice was doubtful, as her face showed her worry and concern.

"I'm sure she'll be fine, Miss Belladonna. We're all going to look for her, after all. This is my team. Pyrrha, my partner and Ren and Nora." Kali smiled at them, as the camera on his Scroll activated and showed her a live feed of them. Ren gave a little wave, even as Nora enthusiastically shouted a "Hello Miss Blake's Mom!" and Pyrrha merely smiled and did a little curtsy, as seemed proper with her.

"It's a pleasure to meet your team, Jaune. Well, I hope to hear from you soon, Jaune... Please make sure that our little Blake returns safely, alright?" He smiled at the woman's concerned look, even as he nodded.

"I promise that she'll return safe and sound! An Arc doesn't break his promise!" The woman smiled, tenderly so. She handed the Scroll back to her husband, who looked at him for a moment.

"Tell her to call us sometime." The man said, before the connection was shut off.

"Were those... Blake's mom and dad?" Ruby asked, her voice sounding as light and curious as it could, Jaune giving a nod of the head, as he went for the closet. _'Well, it's not going to be the weather to wear a hoodie, so I guess...'_ The coat he tugged out of the closet, getting it on with little difficulty. "Bring your weapons." He said, even as he looked at his team.

Sienna had impressed upon him that he should always have a weapon with him, just in case something happened. With her being felled by a round shot from afar, it stood out even more to his eyes just how dangerous the world was, when dealing with those who would wish harm to befall the world.

"I like the coat... it suits you." Pyrrha said, as she looked him over with a look that reminded him faintly of the one that Willow had given him more than once, even as she donned her own armour without a problem, switching clothing with ease. It had been a blessing that he had grown up with his sisters, or he might have blushed when he saw those toned calves, that delicate yet firm rear and those abdominal muscles which could exert that much strength that it boggled the mind.

"Thank you Pyrrha." He caught sight of Nora mouthing something like 'Take it off!' at Pyrrha, yet he dismissed it as just being Nora. Ruby, ignored for the time that they took to changing into their fighting gear, with him foregoing the armour, seemed to be amazed at the way that they'd just immediately leapt to her side, to find Blake again.

"Thank you for helping out! Weiss feels bad, because she's not had the right education in being grateful... so we should be good teammates!" Jaune didn't know exactly why Weiss would be uneducated in being grateful, yet Willow was a good example of how a person could be unappreciative of the world around them, preferring to throw money at things over the saving of their own life.

He caught sight of Yang leaning against the wall outside of team RWBY's dorm, Weiss already in the finishing process of getting ready, the dust rapier that hung at her side glowing with fresh Dust cartridges that had been inserted, her face showing clearly that she felt uneasy, as she seemed to have found her reason for going out to help Blake.

"Jaune's offered team JNPR to come and help us out, guys!" Ruby's voice was loud, even as Yang pushed herself off the wall, giving him a look that was decidedly judgmental...

"Nice threads, vomit boy... Planning on seducing my little sister with those?" The comment was obviously in jest, even as the blonde's gaze seemed to linger a little on his weapons, Crocea Mors and its shield-sheath hanging at his side.

"No, she's my friend... But if you are interested, why not give me a spin, eh? I heard you like to ride a motorcycle..." The bravado that he had mustered from somewhere deep inside the crofts of his heart was definitely addling his witty comeback lines, even as Yang's face showed a change, her eyebrow rising. Weiss turned red in the face, her gaze was averted from him.

"Oho... The vomit boy express has managed to give a retort! Why... Afraid that I'm going to make you Yang out with me more, lover boy?" The teasing tone of an elder sister he could recognize from far off, as he looked at her with a look that was not as pleased as before.

"We need to find Blake. If you want to have a ride with me, you'd better keep up... Although I bet you're just waiting to make your entrance with a Yang." He could play the same game that she did, lame and with a hint of dork. He briefly thought about calling Sienna, his Scroll already in his pocket, yet he knew that the tension within Sienna would only be heightened if she knew.

A quick message he sent though, before he looked at the address book in his Scroll, checking the number before shooting a quick message – **'Adam, do you think you could help me out with something?'** _ **–**_ there was no immediate response, even as he looked up from his Scroll.

"We should get going. Ruby, lead the way." Ruby snapped to attention as he addressed her, immediately following the order with a zeal that surprised him... though it would come as no great surprise. "Alright guys! We should head for the air docks and then get an airship to Vale. We can fit in without any difficulty, so there'll be... probably a fee if we have to make it a quick trip! Blake can't have gone too far!"

"You know, with your coat like that, all you'd need is a motorcycle and a katana to look like some guy with a hero fantasy, Jaune." Yang commented, as she brushed against him. Her floral shampoo was something that irritated his nose, as her hair brushed against his face.

"Well..." The Scroll beeped, showing that a message had been received. Adam's face, mask included, appeared in the small icon. **'What do you need help with? I'm kind of busy at a meeting...'**

' _At least he's willing to help out.'_ He tapped back a quick response. **'Blake's gone missing. Do you know where she might be? We're taking the nearest airship to Vale, landing at the closest dock to Beacon.'** He didn't have to wait long before a response came, even as he had just about expected it. **'I'll be on my way. Meet you there in twenty minutes. They can manage without me.'**

' _He's such a good guy... He really loves Blake.'_ Adam had been not shy about his feelings for Blake, even to the point where he would go into long monologues about how great a person she was for him.

"You just might get to see something like that." He said, Yang's brow furrowing, as she looked at him with a questioning look, as if there were questions that had popped up that needed to be answered now and immediately.

"Let's go!" Ruby said, even as Jaune hurried along with the rest of team JNPR bringing up the rear, Weiss and Yang following after their leader, Weiss looking at him again with a strange look in her eyes.

Inside the airship, she sat down next to him, her pale skin like that of a doll, her eyes resting on the spot before her, before she turned her head and looked at him. "I like the coat."She said, her voice soft. The praise was unexpected, even as he smiled at her.

"It was a gift from a friend of mine." He said, Adam's sense of style something that was pretty cool, even though Sienna was a little critical about it. "We should be seeing him, he said he'd meet us at the air dock."

Yang gave a hum, as her fingers pushed numbers into the Scroll, holding it to her ear. He could faintly hear a 'the Scroll you are trying to reach is not active as of this moment', her expression falling after a moment. "She'll be fine, trust me. Blake isn't the type of girl who would throw herself head-first into danger."

The dubious looks that he received were enough, even as Weiss stiffened slightly. "She is a Faunus, don't you know..." The prejudice in her voice was strong, even as he recalled something similar being mumbled from some of the Atlesian people that he had ran into at the gala that he'd attended as Sienna's dance partner.

"Whether she's a Faunus or not, I don't care. Her parents are good people and her dad is one of the nicest dads that I know. If she was raised by those two people, she'll be a sensible smart young woman who wishes to do the best for the world." He genuinely believed that, as his mother had told him that there was a lot to be said about the rearing of someone and how it impacted their character.

"Blake may not be comfortable with showing her Faunus traits, but you should see it from her perspective... The Schnee family is apparently some big bad boogie-man and you're the heiress, if I'm still correct on that." He didn't really know fully what went into being the 'Heiress' to the Schnee family, but he could wager a guess, with how open Willow was about her desires. The naked selfies with a 'Enjoy yourself' message attached were definitely not too shabby... he'd have to admit that, as he still was a teenager.

"We should all just be able to get along together." Ruby nodded, agreeing with his words. "So, please... Don't judge others, as they judge you in return if you do." He pleaded with Weiss, the pale blue eyes looking into his own, as her cheeks flushed red.

"I... eh, Yes, I will..." The awkwardness on her face was no doubt the cause for her to be so red in the face, even as he looked into those eyes, similar to Willow's own. "I will apologize to her... With how my family has been treated, perhaps I was a little... hasty."

She bit her lower lip, his smile coming easily to him. Yang lowered her aviator sunglasses, a soft whisper of 'Damn, that's a one-hit kill...' coming from her mouth, as she turned her head away, looking towards Ruby, who sat at her side.

"That's the spirit, Weiss! We'll all be friends together, yay!" That there was going to be some re-establishing friendships was nearly a given, even as he turned his own attention to his team.

"I'm sorry for leading you into this, guys." He apologized, Ren giving a nod, his pink eyes looking at him as he smiled in a disarming manner.

"We'd be glad to help. That's what we are here for, right Nora?" His not-together-together girlfriend nodded enthusiastically, her eyes glinting with a faint sparkle as she looked into Jaune's own eyes.

"Alrighty! Time to go find ourselves a lost kitten! Ooh, Ren, maybe we'll see a Sloth Faunus! We should get their autograph if we do! We can be... Sloth detectives!" The smile on Ren's face stiffened slightly, as his attention turned to his partner and friend.

"I'm not sure whether people would like that, Nora..." He said, knowing how Nora's mind worked, most of the time. There was the bright smile on her lips that Jaune noticed, even as he turned to Pyrrha, whose lips were pressed awfully tight together, giving her smile more of a tint of grimace.

"I'd love to help, Jaune."She said, her eyes warm and inviting. _'I couldn't have a better partner. Kind and always willing to help with things.'_

As the airship touched down and he paid the Lien to the pilot for their trip, he noticed that the others were looking at him as if something was off.

"You shouldn't have to pay for it, I can foot the bill." Weiss said, her eyes glancing at each other. Jaune knew well that it was not a cheap fare, nearly forty Lien spent, even with the student discount, yet he was not going to skimp on a friend's health.

"It's just forty Lien. It's no problem." It wouldn't be a problem. A safe friend was better than money spent on something silly. _'She'd do the same for me if I suddenly disappeared.'_ It was clear that their thoughts on the current moment were mostly amazement, even as he shrugged, Nora whispering something to Ren.

He knew that Nora and Ren weren't the best off when it came to finances. They had gotten in through a scholarship, working hard in order to get accepted to Beacon... if they knew that he'd used a few forged papers and the signature of a woman who was apparently more connected than he'd thought, they'd scorn him for it.

"It's appreciated!" Ruby said, her smile bright before it fell. "We should go out in search of Blake, though." As they disembarked, Jaune could already hear the faint rumble of the engines starting up again, the airship taking off without much in the manner of engine sound, leaving them standing there.

"So, where is your friend?" She asked, giving a smile. Jaune thought for a moment on how to explain it. Adam wasn't someone who easily fit into the known categories.

"Well, he's this cool guy that I met through a friend." He would call Sienna a friend, because that's what she was. A friend who happened to be older than him, pretty in the fashion of 'exotic' and 'fierce', giving him the strange sensation of tingling in his lower stomach. "A bit older than us, but he used to date Blake, as far as I know. Kind of like that look you described earlier, Yang." The blonde gave a soft snort.

"Right, as if Blake'd date some sort of emo katana biker loser..." The rumbling of the engine was enough to alert him, as Adam appeared at the docks, riding on the motorcycle with his sword at the sword-rack that'd been installed on the back.

"Cripes, he actually DOES look like one." Yang mumbled audibly, even as Jaune stepped forwards, intending to greet Adam. The man looked a mess, his face looking mussed up by the wind resistance, even with his hair dishevelled still looking as manly as ever. There was an oddness on the skin around his left eye, the skin looking a little messed up, as if the man hadn't been taking very great care of it. _'I'd like to become as cool as you are, one of these days.'_

If the man knew what Jaune was thinking, he'd probably laugh, but as Adam's Semblance was not mind-reading, it would go sadly missed. "Jaune, what happened to my Blake." The possessive tone of voice that Adam busied was enough to rile up Yang, Jaune could feel so as much, as he stepped forwards, Adam's gaze fully resting on him.

"She's apparently gone missing after an argument with her team. She is very passionate about being a Faunus." Adam snorted slightly, as his gaze locked with Jaune's own. He could hear the sound of weapons being drawn behind him, as the Bull Faunus took in a deep breath of air.

"Alright... That's still manageable." Relief flooded him, as he knew that Adam would be the right option to take. "She gets like that sometimes. Moody, a little gloomy... Passionate, though. She's got that little spot on the back of her neck that just sends her wild when you give it a kiss or a nibble." This was straying into the area that was called 'Too Much Information' quickly, Jaune holding his hand up.

"Focus, Adam." The glint in those eyes was fierce, even though the man wore no mask at this moment in time. The look in those eyes was as cold as they could be, his lips pressing into what might be a smile.

"There was indeed a bit of an... argument, Mister..." Weiss appeared at his side, seemingly taking the role of spokesperson for Team RWBY. He looked back to see Ruby twiddling her thumbs, looking for all the world as if she did not want to be there, Yang's face looking awfully cloudy, as his own team looked a little lost.

"Adam Taurus, Schnee. Normally, you'd be feeling the taste of my blade right about now... But... We've got bigger things to worry about. My Blake is in danger." The man's voice was brusque, Jaune sighing deeply as he knew that the irreconcilable differences between the man and the Schnee Dust Company ran deep.

Weiss' face showed little change, even though her eyes turned frosty, their gaze sharp as the Schnee heiress fixed the man with a look. "That is indeed most pressing, Mister Taurus. Do you happen to have any idea where she might go?"

The man pulled his Scroll out, unlocked it with the pass code and immediately started to go through it, wordlessly conveying that he was indeed searching. "If I know her well enough, it would guess that she'd either go for the main base in..." The man's eyes looked at the map of Vale, his face frowning slightly. "No... She wouldn't. She'd go right to the spot where it'd hurt the most..."

Jaune didn't like the smile on his face, as the man looked at the skies. "I guess I'll have to make a short detour, get some supplies..."The man's eyes locked onto him. "Jaune, you're going to come with me." The order was something that he wasn't sure of that he'd follow, as he looked back at his team. Adam followed his gaze and looked at his team members. "Oh, you can come along too, if you want. My name is Adam Taurus. Not really a pleasure to meet you, but alas..."

The stand-offish manner that Adam had about him was enough to make most people leery, Pyrrha's face a polite mask as she nodded, yet he could see the question in her eyes. 'He's a decent guy' he mouthed at her, trying to make her understand. "Alright, ginger, dark and broody, you two get on the back, whilst Jaune and pretty red princess sit behind me. And you, Schnee..." The man's gaze fell on Weiss, as he paused. "Go and entertain yourself until say... six or so. Don't worry. We'll find my Blake."

Jaune was sure that he heard Ruby say something like "Well, that's a relief. He knows how to find Blake!" but he was quickly pulled along by Adam, the man's voice lowering slightly. "What exactly is your goal with this, Jaune?" the man's voice was tense, his posture shifting slightly, even as his hand brushed through his hair, as he dragged Jaune to his motorcycle, the model definitely being something that could fit more than one person on it easily.

"I just want her to be safe... Ruby is my friend, she'd be sad if something happened to Blake... and don't you have some apology to give to her?" The look on Adam's face changed to one that was bitter, as he looked down to the ground. "I've not... done that yet." The man said, even with his voice sounding so rough, it still being somewhat more moderate than the cold tone that he'd used when talking to Weiss.

"Now is your chance. Girls like it when a man goes the extra mile to make it up to them." The advice from his older sister couldn't be more perfect for this situation, even as Adam gave a low rumble.

"You should do the same for Sienna." He said, even as he pulled the extension out of the back, adding half a meter to the bike's frame. _'It's one of those customized bikes that can extend for a bit... Cool.'_

"That's one kick-ass ride." Yang commented, as she sauntered up, Adam giving a dull 'hmm' sound, as he fiddled with the settings, the snap-hiss of the hydraulics starting to work to expand it like a fanciful manner.

"Go elsewhere, human." Adam said, Yang's face turning cloudy, as she looked at him, his rude behaviour pretty much already becoming normal to Jaune.

"He's an alright dude when he isn't being pressed by his girlfriend being lost. Really. I'd call him my friend." Adam did not speak up or refute it, even as Yang made her way back, looking at him and Adam as the latter worked at expanding the bike.

He knew that he'd have to explain this in some fashion... But he was not going to do so easily.

* * *

Eight hours later, Jaune would come to realize that things were probably a little worse than he had thought, as the White Fang grunts closed in on him, an impassioned speech from Blake loud enough for him to hear it. "Looks like we've got a human and his troop of miscreants here, brother." One of the Faunus said, a nasty-looking cleaver in his hands.

"Yes... It's almost a shame that we've got to kill them." There was no sign of Adam yet, after he had split up with them in order to arrange for something, the man leaving them standing there, even after the sound of gunfire had started. Team RWBY had been pinged with their current location and Pyrrha herself was already getting into the perfect stance for fighting, even as the White Fang grunts, numbering nearly thirteen, sized them up.

"We're just here in order to get our friend back." He said, as he tried to moderate. "Whatever you're doing here... It's wrong. This is not how the White Fang should act." He had seen the recruitment videos once. He had searched for the White Fang on his scroll and seen the videos that called for unity, for strength and support of the organisation.

"And what would you know? You're just a privileged human, living in your fancy buildings and looking down at us whilst we grovel in the dirt." The harsh response came from the speaker, even as the others looked around. One of the women spoke up. "That long-haired guy is my kind of guy... How about we leave him alive for a bit so that I can have an itch scratched?"

He could hear Nora inhale sharply, as Ren remained silent. "You will NOT take MY Rennie's chastity! That right is mine! FOR GREAT JUSTICE!" Magnhild was in motion at that moment and the Faunus woman's eyes behind the mask went wide, as the massive war hammer's head slammed into the woman's chest with the full force behind it, the cracking and breaking sound absolutely disgusting, even as the woman's body flew back, hitting one of the crates, the silence which fell afterwards deafening, as the White Fang grunts looked at the fuming Nora, who stood there with a combat-ready look.

"They took out Minty! Charge, brothers and sisters! The human scum must die!" Jaune groaned audibly, Crocea Mors' shield popping out as he met the charge, his shield parrying the blow of a hammer that was held by the White Fang grunt that had found himself in front of him, his blade slapping against the shaft of the hammer, knocking it out of the man's hand.

"I don't want to kill you, please... Go away." He said, trying to plead, the man lunging at him, trying to grab his coat. An explosion rocked the ground below them, as something blew up further up, where the sounds of combat were coming from.

"Die!"The man shouted, even as the report of a gun reached his ears. His Aura flickered, as the bullet hit his shoulder, spinning him around. His aura broke at that moment, a first for him, as he could feel the next bullet glance off his hip. Another loud sound hit his eardrums, before he could feel something pierce through his gut, a stabbing pain that seemed to radiate heat and pain outwards, even as he bent over, pain flashing through his body as the hurt continued.

"Jaune!" Pyrrha's voice reached his ears as she appeared before him in a flash, her blade parrying the next attack, shield moving in an instant, even as her eyes glowed faintly and a black aura appeared around the gun, tugging it out of the White Fang grunt's hand, the surprised gasp barely noticed, as Pyrrha threw her shield and knocked the grunt out, her gun-spear shifting into its rifle form, a round shot into the knee of one of the other grunts, bringing them down.

' _She's a real huntress... not like me, who can only pretend to be one.'_ It was a stark change from his own clumsy methods, as he could feel the blood coming from the wound, his hand on the wound growing wetter with the rich lifeblood that came from the wound. _'This really hurts... I guess I know what Sienna's feeling about getting shot was right now...'_

"Are you alright, Jaune?" Ren asked, even as Jaune held himself up, his hand bracing himself on his knee, not willing to let himself fall down.

"I should've worn my armour…" Jaune moaned, Ren's face looking between him and the White Fang grunts that were strewn out on the ground, most of them blissfully unconscious and unaware, with several groaning, their legs bent in irregular fashion.

"Can you walk?" Pyrrha asked, supporting him with an arm, her eyes looking worried, as she put herself under his arm and pulled him along, heading towards the sound of the explosions.

"And that is why you will NEVER have my Blake!" The sound of Adam's voice came once more, as a bright white light filled his eyes, a slash of light that travelled further, even as someone seemed to scream loudly.

He caught sight of a man in white staggering back, a long line cut right into the suit, blood welling up from the long slash. "Don't think that this is the last of it, you animal... You know what is at stake!" The accusation wasn't something that Jaune paid attention to, his attention on Adam. The man's hand was on the hilt of his blade, the style of fighting that the man used relying on quick draws of the blade to do the most damage.

"Adam, remember what we talked about! This is not you!" The Faunus looked at him for a moment, before his hand raised from the grip of his blade.

"Hands up, buster! You're going to jail!" Ruby's voice was high-pitched and chipper, the orange-haired man's face showing clearly that there was distaste for the red-cloaked leader of team RWBY.

"I thought it'd be too late for you to be up watching crime drama's and playing vigilante, Red..." The image of the man suddenly crumbled into shards, dropping onto the ground, even as the roar of an engine was heard, the bullhead taking off, the doors still opened up. "But I do hope that you'll go to bed... because this is way too exciting for a kid your age! Ta ta for now, Red! See you hopefully... never!"

As the bullhead roared away, Jaune could feel himself growing fainter, as his hand quivered and the blood in his body seemed to be drawn out, his hand looking awfully pale. "I don't feel so good, guys..." He could hear Pyrrha say something, even as he felt himself slowly fading out, his head pounding as he felt himself growing light and fluffy, like a cloud would.

"Are you alright, sir?" The voice of someone he didn't know reached his ears, the flickering lights irritating his eyes, even as he felt the prick of a needle in his side, adrenaline reaching through his body as he realized that he was laying down on something that felt uncomfortable, his eyes looking to the side, catching sight of Pyrrha, who was looking worried.

"Eh, yes... Probably." He looked down, spotting the part where he had been shot, noticing that there had been some gauze wrapped around the part, briefly wondering as well whether they'd dug the bullet out already. "It hurts a little."

"You have been shot, sir. Your teammates are concerned." He caught sight of several people standing in the distance, Team RWBY, once more united and Adam, standing like a forlorn sentinel, looking in his direction and approaching, his steps broad and with that impetuous manner.

"You still live. Good." The man's voice was tense, which no doubt came as close as it could be to 'sounding concerned', though he probably would have to be Blake to really reach those limits. "Whatever hospital they send you to, I will let her know and she may be willing to cover the costs." There was no denying who the 'her' was who was being referred to. Jaune caught sight of several of the Faunus being led away, the cuffs on their wrists enough to indicate their own captivity.

As if by magic, Adam's Scroll sounded with the 'Ode to Peace', one of Sienna's favourite pieces from the Mistralian Classical Orchestra, the man answering hesitantly, and he could hear Sienna's voice reach ear-splitting levels, with her language definitely not being as careful with the insults and threats.

"Well... I guess you've got your earful today..." He said, trying to make a joke, yet Adam's ill-amused stare was enough reproach.

"We're going to deliver you to Vale General Hospital, sir... We have to get the bullet out of your body as fast as possible before the Dust inside ignites." He didn't really want to think about what would happen if that did happen, but he was glad to see that Blake was doing alright.

"Apologize to her, now that she's here. Oh, and tell Sienna to inform Kali and Ghira that their daughter is safe." Adam's face turned melancholic, even as Sienna's cussing on the other end of the line turned a whole new direction, insinuating something about his mother and a particularly filthy-looking bovine.

It seemed that Sienna was not going to be too happy to hear of his sudden trip to the hospital...

* * *

 **Another chapter, more woes! Volume I's canonical events have been concluded, as of this chapter! The dance of tigers never was really intended to be much of a story like this, more as a bit of a short vignette... But this works fine too! The seeds have been sown, the Sienna has been enraged, Adam has defended his lady Blake... and the latter is horribly confused as to why her ex-boyfriend popped up and actually was willing to work with Team RWBY. There will be more on that in chapter 15.**

 **In the next chapter... We shall see some of the Arc family! Adam's odd mood swings get elaborated upon! (Yes, Vanishing, there IS a good reason behind why he's acting like this. The rather jarring twist was intentional. Contrary to people's expectations, I do not do things for the 'rule of cool'. Adam's story path has not yet ended.)**

 **About the forged transcripts bit, well... You MIGHT have a signature from the Faunus version of Malcolm X on that permission slip, but you DON'T have any previous education listed. With how the Huntsman academies work, just the 'Oh, he good, accept him' thing would hardly work. Those who DID earn their place at Beacon would be pretty annoyed that some no-name civilian got in AND got paired up with Pyrrha 'Invincible Girl' Nikos. It's a bit like going up on stage to do a sword swallowing act whilst never having done so before.**

 **About other trivia stuff though... Cardin got off with a busted nose and bruises. Jaune isn't that mean to mangle some guy. (Adam would.) Being ambushed and given the work-over was not very conducive to his 'street cred' at Beacon. He knows how to stay away from Jaune now. Jaune just got really tired of that attitude of 'we can use you as our gofer', mixed with the fact that he's around other strong personalities who absolutely do NOT take any crap from anyone. (Looking at you, Adam, Sienna, Willow)**

 **Next chapter... in two weeks! Hospitals, Sienna Khan and the Schnee Matriarch! Also: Jaune's family.**


	14. Sudden stop

**Chapter 14: Sudden stop**

 **To the people who enjoy this story: Thank you! There is going to be a story uploaded in two months that will show the world another odd match-up. Don't worry, it'll be as nice to read as 'The dance of tigers'… Or so I think.**

* * *

She was seeing red as she pushed the door open, the bodyguards behind her catching up as she power-walked through the lobby of the clinic that she'd been treated for her gunshot wound. _'You're not going to shout at him, you're just going to make sure that he is okay.'_

It had taken the better part of the day to get herself to a point where she would be able to leave the office, the damage control that had to be done, spinning truth from the yarn of lies and misinformation that she had cooked up. A few miscreants of the White Fang, abusing their organisation's banner and material to hide their true nature, working together with human thieves to steal Schnee Dust Company Dust…

Her eyes caught sight of the chart of the people who had been put up, a name blinking out at her – 'J. Arc.' _'Not like he'd be able to go and hide with a name like that… it was a pretty public thing, after all.'_ She increased her pace, even as she glanced at the doctor that she passed by, the woman wearing a pretty white coat that looked to have been freshly laundered. _'Willow's taking care of the bill.'_

That the Schnee woman was willing to foot the bill for everything that Jaune would need to spend was something that she had partially expected. Spending the budget on health costs for the human would lose her support of some of the Faunus who were more radical in their nature, their eyes glinting already with the thirst to oust her from her position as High Leader.

She sped up some more, the suit that she wore feeling a little tight, her eyes narrowed in that look of strictness as she fixed the people in her path with her best death glare. She knew that it would be something worthy of note to see Sienna Khan, leader of the White Fang, stroll through the halls, yet she was quite beyond caring.

The door stood before her and she pushed it open. _'I'm not going to shout at him. I'll be the picture of calm and reason.'_

He was laid up in the bed, his upper body bare, the bandages around his abdomen showing clearly where the wound had been. Her eyes caught sight of his hand about to raise, and she strode forward, determined. _'I'm going to inquire how he is doing, like a polite, reasonable human being.'_

"YOU!" She hissed, at his bedside with another two strides, her eyes glinting with that anger. "YOU!" Words were hard to form, as her finger impacted with his naked chest, the look in her eyes fiercer than before, as she watched him shrink back. "You have no idea how much time this is going to cost me!"

He looked down, his mouth opening as if to say something, yet there was something that made her even more incensed. "Thought you would be a hero, right? Little Jaune motherfucking Arc, the Huntsman. If it was up to me, your skinny ass would be in the ring getting pounded like a bitch by myself!"

So much for reason and calm, as her blood surged, her eyes flashed with anger and her mouth continued. "You went off gallivanting with your friends, with Adam bloody motherfucking Taurus on some fucking LIVE BROADCAST to go and fucking dash my organization! DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW MANY PROBLEMS THAT YOU ARE CAUSING ME?!" She breathed heavily, even as she locked eyes with his, those blue eyes looking at her innocently.

"But, Miss Khan, I really-" Her finger pressed against his lips before she'd known it. Her eyes were angry, yet she knew that she would be giving in to those sad puppy dog eyes, like some girlfriend awed by Armando Bloom. She would deny that she had the poster pinned to one of the walls of her parents' home to the moment of her death.

"You really didn't think, did you? That's what you silly humans always do, never thinking about the consequences!" She was not going to let this go. Her human was in the hospital, shot in the gut by some idiot who thought it'd be a good thing to hurt the human.

"I'm sorry." He said, his head looking down, her hand moved back, even as someone cleared their throat.

"Who're you and why are you shouting at my little brother?" Sienna came to see a blonde-haired woman, perhaps a few years younger than her, sitting in a chair at the side of the bed, totally in her view, yet she must've been so blinded by the emotions that she was feeling that she'd missed their presence. A darker-skinned woman sat next to her, a baby on her lap, currently looking at her with a look of awed interest… or something else. _'It doesn't matter.'_

She turned to Jaune again, raising an eyebrow. "My older sister, Saphron. Eh, yeah, her wife too. Viv is currently out getting herself something to drink." The ill amused look on her face did not change much.

"Sienna Khan, Miss Arc, is what I go by in my day-to-day life." She said, straightening herself out and finding that she was not the greatest in stature compared to the Arc family, the woman's face set in a look that was doubtful.

"And why are you shouting at him? If it's something that he's done…" The woman, Saphron, said, her eyes looking at her, judging her no doubt for her nature. Faunus always were judged unfairly, even if they had nothing to do with whatever had happened.

"He has managed to cast blame on my organization, along with his 'friend'." She looked at Jaune for a moment, before deciding that it might be best to return later to give the young man a piece of her mind. Going in at a front that was raked with the ashes of family and prejudice was not in her best interest at this moment. "I simply wished to make him aware that he has caused me undue stress." The politest terms that she could manage, given her high emotions.

"Adam is three doors down… It seems they wanted to have him in for a little bit." That surprised her. She did not think that Adam had taken any serious damage, nor did she think that he would allow humans to treat him… but there had been far more surprising things happening to her these days, so she dismissed her thoughts immediately. It was the time for action now.

She left the room with a 'I'll be back for you later, Arc.', like some sort of implacable villain, striding to the door three doors down and spotting the nameplate that'd been fitted with a fresh card, reading – A. Taurus – on it.

Opening the door and coming to see Adam strapped to a bed with an IV hooked up, her eyebrow rose, her anger rising once more as she saw the empty look on his face. _'IS HE GETTING HIGH?!'_

"ADAM TAURUS!" Her voice reached the higher registers, as she fixed him with a look. Seeing him startle aware, his eyes looking at her, the mark on his left eye standing out, contrary to the way that he usually covered it up. It looked fierce and angry like it had been hurt. _'Another reminder that there are cruel humans around…'_

There was a small basin filled with what seemed to be water that looked like it was strongly antiseptic or something, the smell hitting her nose and blazing the flames inside her even more. _'The smell of hospitals and the like sucks…'_

"High Leader, I really wou-" She smacked his chest. This was not going to be 'polite' for her way of handling people.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING, BRINGING JAUNE INTO AN OPERATION LIKE THAT? DID I SIGN OFF ON THAT, YOU RED-HAIRED MONKEY?!" She was screaming at him now, the isolation of the rooms perfect, with the door closed behind her as it was. "DID I ASK 'Oh, Adam, please go and get my Jaune shot like a human ought to!', HUH?!"

Adam's mouth opened, yet no sound emerged from that mouth, as her spit sprinkled his face, her anger rising still. "AND YOU ARE ALL LAID UP HERE, LOOKING LIKE YOU WERE THE ONE THAT GOT SHOT!"

"Please, do not shout at Mister Taurus." A voice reached her ears and she turned to see a nurse wearing the official uniform, her blonde hair tied up in a bun. A washcloth was held in her hand, some grimy residue left on the medical cloth. Sienna had to admit that she must be slipping up today, if she let her anger guide her along the path towards ignoring the people who were in the room with her target. "He has been admitted based on observation and we are keeping him here for the next week, in order to purge his system of the contaminants."

This was going to be another hospital bill for her to settle, undoubtedly pricy in the extreme. Adam seemed to be calmer, more sedate than the passionate lunk of bull Faunus he usually was. "Mister Taurus needs his rest. He has done a great duty for the people of Vale." There actually was a BLUSH on the human nurse's cheeks, as she looked at Adam.

' _Fuck me up the ass, he's actually got human fangirls!'_ She looked at Adam, who seemed to be in the process of coming up with an answer. "Sienna, I didn't mean to…" The answer was not enough for her.`

"What were you THINKING?!" She growled, her eyes blazing, as she snarled and hissed. "You were NOT thinking in the SLIGHTEST!" The man had the good graces to look ashamed, even as he looked at the nurse. "Do you think you could get me in a wheelchair, Amanda? I'd like to visit Jaune, if that's possible."

' _A wheelchair? What in the name of the brother gods happened to him?'_ The nurse smiled and pulled a wheelchair from somewhere, unfolding the wheelchair and then rolling it up to the bed. "I'll have to take care of business now." Sienna said, even as she locked eyes with Adam. _'This isn't over yet, Adam…'_

"Mister Taurus will be kept a little longer, Miss Khan. As his employer, you will be briefed about his absence." Sienna growled, as she could see that this wasn't something that she could press on. With Jaune, it had been raw emotion that drove her, yet now, seeing the nurse take Adam's side, heedless of his species… it made her feel a flash of worry.

"I promise you, Sienna… I'll get better. They just have to try and see whether they can cure me. I'll be better soon, I hope." The brand on his left eye looked even worse than before, even with the surgical gel that usually filled the crevices, the mark mostly hidden underneath the gel with little difficulty. It helped those afflicted with the cruelty of humans to pass mostly within human territory.

"Whatever it is…" She said, sighing deeply and rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Get well soon, Adam. The worst fallout of this is that we've been implicated, yet… Criminal elements always pop up in large organisations. I will see you tomorrow, I've got to make some amendments to the current statement." The look on his face was genuine, even as she walked from the room, her mind already busy with the ramifications of an alteration.

' _I should've just let the staff care for it… But nooo, my Jaune had to be shot.'_ A formal apology, given face to face, would straighten things out in the eye of the public. There had been some clamour on the public forums for the young Huntsmen-in-training who had prevented a notorious criminal from stealing Dust from the Schnee Dust Company.

She could see that the Schnee was about to make a comeback if the fancy limousine was any indication. _'The Schnee family symbol ought to be a good giveaway of who's riding that limousine… and it isn't old Jacques.'_ The man would undoubtedly be a little peeved at his wife's attention to one young man with the most beautiful blue eyes… but then again, she didn't care much about some old dusty Faunus brutalizer who paid less than the minimum wage.

"Schnee." She said, as Willow sauntered up, her steps casual, the dark dress that she wore accentuating her curves well, even as the woman smiled, a dangerous smile that would land most in difficult straits if witnessed.

"Khan… Make sure that you've got your shots ready… It's going to be a rough ride." The wink that followed it was enough to clue her in that the Schnee wished to have some drinks, though for an outsider's ear, it was undoubtedly a dig at the situation that the White Fang was engaged in right as of this moment. The fact that she actually enjoyed the company of the Schnee woman was something that she'd never have imagined before.

"Count on it, you pale-faced tart." She retorted, her grin savage, even as her eyes glinted, as she walked to the car that'd brought her here, the visit having taken less than thirty minutes. She'd probably see Willow flitting into the private 'drinking room' that they'd somehow set up in the office space. Not like she was going to be too lonely…

Now, she just had to look into what exactly was wrong with Adam. His medical files should be sent to her mailbox already… if they hadn't gone lazy with the files…

* * *

Jaune felt discomforted by the look that Terra was giving him, as she looked at him long and hard, her face barely changing one iota after Sienna had left. Saphron merely looked at him, the picture-perfect look of a sister who was worried.

"How do you know Sienna Khan?" The question came and he winced. He wasn't sure whether Terra knew about his exploits at Beacon, yet she had been one of the first to come to the clinic, even with Saphron caring for little Adrian.

"She's eh… someone I know?" The raised eyebrow made him feel guilty. Sienna was a friend, so he would not shirk his duty towards a friend. There were other things that could be said.

"What does that matter? She's obviously someone who's been implicated, going to take it out on our little Jaune!" Saphron, ever the peacemaker of the family under most circumstances, spoke. "Whether she's Sienna Khan or… or… Your mother, I don't think she's that important. What is important is that Jaune has the best care available to him."

He smiled at her, knowing that he had an ally in Saphron. Terra's lips pressed together, a neutral look on her face. "Saph, honey… Sienna Khan is 'not just a Faunus'. You could consider her to be like… one of the Councillors of Vale."

Saphron looked at her wife and then at him, asking him silently whether that was the right assumption, to which he shrugged. The pain in his gut was still a little fierce, the wound trying to heal as fast as it could, yet there was always the need for differences. "Actually, she's more akin to the Queen. Ghira stepped back a few years ago, so in essence, she's the sole representative of the Faunus in the four Kingdoms. He does occasionally speak for the White Fang, but it's more an advisory role."

Terra blinked, as her gaze fell on him. "You mean Ghira Belladonna?" The question was spoken robotically, Jaune giving a swift nod, smiling. Ghira would appear to be some rough and imposing man on the surface, yet there was a core of warmth and compassion in him.

"Of course. His wife Kali is wonderful. Ooh, Saph, I should send you the recipe that she has for Berry Casserole, I heard it was really really good." Terra's response to Saphron's excited sound was not something that seemed to be pleasant, her deadpan look not even containing the faintest hint of surprise.

"What's next, Willow Schnee herself deciding to come for a visit?" The woman mumbled, shaking her head as she pulled the Scroll that was meant for work purposes out of her pocket, starting to tap on it to get whatever she was working on back on the screen.

"Soooo… What's the relationship between you and Sienna?" The question came without warning, as Saphron shifted a little in her seat, Adrian looking up at her, then at him with that look of childlike incomprehension. _'Oh no, not the sisterly inquisition…'_

The time was not here to give an answer, as his sister leaned forwards, her smile looking as deadly as one of the Grimm that he had slain. Even Forever Fall had been a little tense, with Cardin nearly getting mauled to death by an Ursa. "She's just someone I know..."

The raised eyebrow. "Pfft, you're definitely lying. How would you know a known Faunus Supremacist?" Terra cast doubt once more on his words, Saphron looking at her wife with a frown.

"She was referring to him as Jaune, that implies that she likes him! I know what people feel, Ter!" He was lucky that Vivian wasn't here, or he might've had more of a unified Arc front against him. With his sisters being scattered across the Kingdoms, it was hard to have a family reunion. If not for the fact that their mother lived in Vale, it would be hard to even meet up. Terra and Saphron had come from Argus to let them meet with little Adrian, the little bugger looking just like Terra did, even with the technology that had allowed him to be born.

"Jaune is not that lucky! He's a shy boy who probably needs a girl to whip her tits out and go 'take me!' before he would even get a hint!" Terra's opinion of him had never been terribly high, even with the marriage to Saphron. It was perhaps due to the way that he was, or something else. _'I wonder how Adam is doing. He was practically dragged off the moment when we came to the clinic.'_

The door opened, a nurse smiling at him. "Hello, Mister Arc! I have brought you your friend, Mister Taurus!" The chipper nature of the woman was a mystery, even as the wheelchair was rolled into the room, the man who sat there wearing a medical hood that showed his mouth, eye-holes appearing in the mask. _'Is there something wrong with his face? He didn't get hurt in the fight, did he?'_

"You can leave me here, Nurse." Adam said, his hands moving the wheelchair with little effort, as he looked at him, the eyes that peered from the holes in the hood, which covered most of his skin. "Jaune... Can I speak with you privately?" The hesitant look at his sister and her wife were enough, and he nodded.

"Of course, Adam." He said, looking at Saphron and Terra. "Go find Viv... She might be getting herself in trouble." His sister gave him a look of 'this is not over yet, young man.' He knew that she would be back soon, to ask more prying questions. Terra smiled at Adam. "You were the young man who helped Jaune at the docks?"

"I was, yes. Jaune is... a friend." The admission seemed to be an afterthought, as the man ran his fingers over the wheelchair, the nurse taking a position at the door, waiting for Saphron, Adrian and Terra to leave.

"We'll be back in half an hour, Jaune." The words were hardly important, as Adam grabbed the hood. It was as the door clicked shut, that the man lifted it, unveiling a face that was not the pretty one that he had seen before, the red mark standing out against the skin, grooves that had been burned into the skin by a cruel brand. _'S.O.C.? No, wait... S.D.C.'_

"Jaune, I have many grievances against humanity as a whole." He said, his voice sounding tired and weary, even as he looked at him. The man must wear contacts during the daytime, for his eye was a bright blue colour, the handsome features of the man at odds with the ugly brand on his face. The bloodshot eye, where the brand had landed, seemed like a mere aberration in the face of the man, Jaune watching carefully for the man's expression to change.

' _You've been through a lot, haven't you?'_ The pity inside his heart he could feel greatly swelling, as he watched the man's face change slightly, as he seemed to wait for the immediate judgment. "Someone did that to you because you were a Faunus?"

The question hung in the air, the man's eyes closing. There was a tear sliding from the right eye, the one which had not been scarred by the brand. "I was nine. The Schnee Dust Company was the only place for us to get a job, so I helped." The man's shoulders shook, as he took a deep breath, the horns that grew from his head giving him an appearance akin to some tragic hero.

"They said it would fix me up, that I should know my place..." The man's morose voice was enough, as he looked up, the blue eye locked with his own. "That it would teach me my spot as nothing but an animal." The pain in his voice was real, even as a mirthless laugh came from his lips.

"You were young, you could not have done anything about it." Jaune said, trying to comfort Adam, trying to make him know that it was not a flaw. Adam's head was lowered, even as he took a deep breath.

"Faunus healthcare isn't the best, anywhere... My mother, she tried to pay for something to restore my vision..." The eye that had been branded looked at him, the milky iris locked with his own, the colour faded. "Not successfully, but I can see, at least." There was a pause that hung in the air.

"And... Are you alright?" Jaune asked, as Adam let himself drift away. "Did you... did you get hurt? I thought I saw you outside when I was being carried into the ambulance..." Adam's face showed a complicated expression.

"They called it..." He breathed in deep, tears coming from his eyes. "No, no..." There was anger that flashed on his face, as those eyes focused on him, a deep breath taken as rage blazed in those eyes, unnatural and fierce. "I'm... sick."

Adam seemed to struggle to keep himself in check, his hands gripping the wheelchair's armrests with enough force to make the leather creak. "It's not something deadly, but..."

Panting breaths, his eyes meeting with his own. Jaune wondered whether it was something that he had said, Adam's eyes focusing solely on him. "You... You'd not understand. Amanda said that it is completely normal for us, who live in these conditions to develop it..."

The sob that came from the man's mouth was pitiful and pathetic, as the tears leaked from his good eye, the other eye as still as it was, moistened by the tear ducts, yet not able to leak fluid. "We live in squalor, Jaune... Every Faunus here lives in sub-par conditions. Homes infested by mould, homes that should have been condemned years before, all rented out for large sums of money. The amount of Faunus that have owned their own home can be counted in the hundreds..."

"They tell me that I'm sick, that I can be cured... That I can stop feeling like..." The words stopped, as the man's eyes met with his own. Jaune gave what he thought was his best smile.

"You are my friend, Adam. No matter what... We'll work through it together." That's what friends did for each other, right? The man had been willing to give him a little trust and had been willing to fight with him against injustice.

Adam stiffened, as he took a deep breath. "That means... That means a lot to me. I've got these moments... I just know what I'm doing and then, I'm ranting about how I want to make love to my little Blake." That was definitely too much information, as he watched Adam's eyes look far-off.

"I want to hug her, to kiss her and tell her that she never wants to leave me because I am so wonderful... and then I just realize that she left before and I just..." The complicated expression on his face was enough for Jaune to feel sympathy, even as he shifted a little, ignoring the pain in his gut.

"Adam... no matter what, I am your friend." The man's body stiffened, a smile on his face. It was a hesitant one, as if the loathing had not ceased yet, but it was a smile. Something that brightened Jaune's mood a little, especially after Sienna had left in a huff. That woman must be worried.

"Yeah... you are, I guess... I guess we're friends now." The man's voice doubted the veracity of such a thing, yet Jaune knew that there was good in the man.

"Who is Amanda?" Jaune asked, his tone of voice subconsciously mimicking his sister's. Adam's cheeks flushed slightly, as his gaze was cast down. "I mean, if you don't want to tell me, that's okay."

"Nurse Marble... The one who helped me in. They've got me on a drip of antipsychotics, just to keep the attacks down." Adam said, his voice soft. "She's been... quite the help. When we arrived at the hospital with you, one of the doctors took me aside and I had... well, I had an attack. They also removed the makeup to hide the scars and said that I had an infection of the optical nerve."

There was definitely some miscarriage of justice there, Jaune thought, if his friend had been left with an infection for so long. Something should be changed in the laws to make things fairer on the Faunus. It was just not right to let them suffer because of some animal trait or the other. "That isn't fair..." He said, Adam giving a tense smile.

"It's never fair to the world... But we have to live it either way." There was a faint hope in his voice, as he looked at Adam. "You really like Nurse Marble, do you?" The nod that Adam gave was shame-ridden, as he looked up.

"She's not looking down at me because I am a Faunus, I can't really say... I spent most of last night talking with her, you know... She's been working in the clinic for nearly four years." That would put her age as somewhere near Adam's own, Jaune guessed, though he didn't really know well whether the nurse was able to really get to the core of the issue. "She made sure that I saw Doctor Wisteria the next morning, who diagnosed me... I'm somewhat glad that she did and she got me..."

"She sounds like a lovely woman." Jaune said, knowing that Adam would undoubtedly continue on his wistful spree of commentary, his eyes looking at the man as he looked awkwardly around. "Do you still love Blake?"

It was a question that was prying, right on the spot where it hurt. Adam took a deep breath before he closed his eyes. "It's not an overnight thing, Jaune. I cannot stop liking Blake because she is the most wonderful girl with the tightest pussy that I've ever fucked."

Jaune's image of Blake crumbled at that moment, Adam wincing. "I'm doing it again, am I... Every time I just think of her, my blood boils and I want to shout from the rooftops that she is my woman, that she is my beloved..." The deep groan that came from his mouth was something that Jaune could understand.

"You'll get better in time. You've got a friend in nurse Marble, at least. She will help you out." Jaune tried to make his friend feel a little better, even as Adam sighed deeply. He did that a lot, his emotions running haywire.

"I don't know what to feel. She's nice, she's warm and she is willing to listen... Didn't even complain when I started to rant about the plight of the Faunus... And you know what she asked me?" Adam's voice sounded bitter, mingling with the heavy emotions that surged.

"What can I do to help?" The words hung there, as Adam looked at him. "A human, asking a Faunus 'What can I do to help?'... Do you know how much we've been wanting to hear that?" The hope in his voice was something terrible and beautiful at the same time, as Jaune felt his eyes water a little.

' _If she's able to make him feel like this... she's doing a good job.'_ The hope for Adam's recovery was something strong, even as he smiled at his friend. "I don't judge you, Adam. Like I have said before... You're still a friend of mine, no matter how you look. I can feel that inside you is someone who just wants to make the world a better place... So don't you worry. Everything will be fine." The hope in the bright blue eye was enough to make him feel better, even as a knock came on the door. "Mister Arc? It's time for Mister Taurus to receive care."

Jaune smiled a little at Adam, as the man pulled the hood back over his head. The pretty features of the man were shrouded once more, the horns poking up in the hood. "Make her give you a sponge bath, Adam. It'll be good for you." The snort from the man was soft, yet without any edge in it.

"You're starting to sound like Kali more and more, Jaune." Adam said, as he tugged the hood a little more on his face. Jaune wondered whether it was the policy around here, but he didn't think too much on it as the door opened up. "I'll come around again tomorrow. They're having me on some very strong medication." Adam's voice sounded lighter, even as nurse Marble giggled.

"Just something against the infections, Mister Taurus. You will just be a little sleepy but you will be able to be all infection-free in a week's time... And we're going to get you back to full health in no time!" The nurse gave him a wink. "You're a good friend to Mister Taurus here, Mister Arc. He talked a lot about you last night."

He did not blush to the compliment, even as the nurse wheeled Adam out the door, ready to give him his care... whatever that was. It must be something important, if it was like that. The door opened up a moment later, revealing a pale-tressed woman with a victorious smile on her lips. The door was flicked shut with a single twist of her delicate hand, locking the door behind her.

"Good evening, Jaune." Her voice purred like a housecat as she stalked over to the foot of the bed, standing there in an elegant dress, almost like the spectre of something ghostly and ethereal, the door closed by one of the bodyguards.

It was just him and her, together in the same room. "Willow... Are you... alright?" The woman smirked, her body leaning forward, pressing that chest together, intentionally undoubtedly, causing a rise. "Aww, is that concern?" She purred, like a woman who saw a delicious treat and desired it.

She was juuust a little tipsy. Three bottles had been drunk ever since she woke up... and she thought that it would be a good evening too with Sienna joining her. It would be nice to talk to the bratty tiger-cat some more, even if they did end up watching television whilst buzzed out of their wits.

Looking at Sienna emerging from the clinic, she stepped out of the limousine, her bodyguards moving with the intent to shield her from whoever wished to do her harm, her eyes meeting Sienna's, even as the latter took the initiative. "Schnee."

The tone was formal and perhaps a little bit irritated, a sign that Sienna was not feeling the best. That would be remedied with plenty of alcohol later on, of course. "Khan...Make sure that you've got your shots ready... It's going to be a rough ride." Of course, to an outsider's perspective, it would mean little, as the words were aggressive and definitely hinted at things. The little wink that she added was just cheeky and proud enough to fit in as a dashing remark, Sienna's cutting response as expected.

' _She will have no issue with keeping up tonight... Let's get some special Vacuan Vodka for her... I wonder if she'll be able to keep her clothes on when she's properly ready.'_ The bed had been relatively comfortable, but Sienna was an awful cuddler. Just grabbed a hold of your arm and didn't let go... plus she SNORED. Not the best quality, she would admit.

* * *

As her heels clicked on the tiles of the clinic, she could feel the familiar atmosphere settle in once more, her eyes catching sight of the name that had been added to the roster, the room only a floor down from the room that Sienna had occupied only a few months before. _'It certainly means that I can come to visit the 'poor hero who has saved the Dust'... I wonder if he would mind to a certain bit of roleplay... There's a syringe that I'm intending to drain...'_

It would rankle Sienna greatly, to find that she'd stolen that march on her... But all was fair in Lust and War. Willow was a winner, born and bred to win. She was the Schnee Dust Company in name... if not in the spirit. The only heir to Nicholas Schnee... and she was shrewd.

The door opened up, unveiling a man who wore a hood, a nurse carting him away, giving her a mere passing glance. She could see the look of curiosity on the woman's face, as it was unusual to be visiting at a hospital whilst wearing clothing that cost more than the average salaryman's wages for a month. "This is Jaune Arc's room, yes?" She inquired, her voice as calm and collected as she could muster it.

"Yes... and you..." the nurse inquired, as Willow smiled, the smile not reaching her eyes. She was not going to let some nurse stop her. She was Willow Schnee and she would move heaven and the earth with the power of money. No matter what she craved, she would get it.

"I am here on behalf of the Schnee Dust Company to have words with Mister Arc." The words were calm and cool, even as the patient startled, a soft hiss coming from his mouth, to which she gave a look down, raising an eyebrow. "See to it that we are not disturbed."

"O-of course, Miss Schnee." The nurse yielded, even as Willow smirked with victory in her smirk, as her tongue slid over the lips. A swift glance at her reflection in the makeup mirror, a quick splash of redness on her lips (Atlesian Rose No 2031, her favourite for leaving messy kisses on her daughters' cheeks.) and a dash of perfume (probably worth more than most people's wages, as per the usual standard of Schnee excellence.) and she pushed open the door, catching a whiff of the medical air and spotting the young man laid up in the bed.

"Good evening, Jaune." Her voice definitely had the tone of voice that would let her melt the hearts of lesser men, something that her daughter Winter was starting to achieve as well, after the years had toughened her body and granted her tits that would be hard to deny. Her eyes looked at the bandages around the wound, her gaze sliding up and down that chest. _'Needs a bit more tone...'_

She strode like a queen to the foot of the bed, slowly leaning forwards and resting her hands on the board at the edge, her breasts pressed together, the cleavage that she showed enough to entice lesser men... But he was not enticed, not yet. His eyes, a deep blue that just sent her into the shivers, were looking at her, daring to peer down for a moment, as she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, her swelling bosom only enticing him more... If she guessed right. _'I'd like to see you top that, Sienna Khan, with those little ant hills!'_

"Willow... Are you... Alright?" The words registered in her mind only after she'd done her little seductive stretch, her tongue sliding over her lips.

"Aww, is that concern?" She asked, her voice a breathy sound that held within it the maturity that she'd always been willing to unleash, even as she pulled herself onto the bed, her heels left behind at the foot, crawling on the bed, her eyes locked with his own.

It was a moment where those eyes dipped low, as a flush reached his cheeks. _'Adorable.'_ Her mind whispered, even as she rose, his knee automatically rising, brushing against the fullness of her left breast, a shuddering growl coming from her eyes. "Mister Arc..." her voice purred, as a devious glint came to her eyes, locked with his own as she continued her advance, like a brave pioneer in the Mantlean countryside. Her body brushed against his own, until she was only a few inches away from him.

"I think... It would be best if I showed some... gratitude." The hands on her dress pulled slightly, pulling the dress open and exposed herself, his eyes looking down and one of the most adorable looks came to his face. _'Not like I will need a condom right now... It would be easy to take the morning after pill in a flash...'_ She was not going to be feeling one inch of guilt about this... But the opportunity had just about fallen into her lap.

"Touch me, Jaune." Her voice growled, needy and feeling the desperation inside her. "Grab a hold of them and give them a firm squeeze..." her voice pleaded, even as his eyes looked up at her, her demand still in the air.

"You're married, I can't..." The response was weak, without peer. Where was that man who had threatened to bend her over his knee and give her a spanking? Where was that man who was adorable and cute, who set her loins aflame with his mere presence?

"Fuck that." Her voice growled, her eyes burning. "I can buy your family... Make them live their life happily ever after, just for..." her fingers danced over his upper chest, avoiding the bandages. "A moment." Her tongue slid over her lips. Her face came close to his own, smelling his scent. It was not bad, save for the sterile scent that clung to him. Someone had washed him, no doubt, but she did not enjoy the scent of that. _'it should be more like... hmm... Rose shampoo. That would fit him well. Rose scent and Schnee Dust.'_

Her gaze looked down, as her eyes spotted a bulge. _'Definitely NOT gay... Sienna, my dear... One point for me!'_ Her fingernails traced over the bulge, even as she let her tongue lick over his cheek. "Hush, Jaune... Let me... Show my gratitude."

Her hands grabbed the covers that covered the prize that she was after, the sudden rattling at the door distracting her, hissing slightly. _'So fucking CLOSE. ARGH!'_ Her hands went for her dress and she tidied herself up a little before she slid off the bed, taking one of the chairs and fitting her best and politest smile on her face. "So... Mister Arc, are we understood?" Her voice was raised slightly, still with that slightly breathless quality to it, as he watched her like he had been struck with silliness. _'Oh, that look on your face is going to go and become something else entirely, Jaune...'_

"Eh, wha?" The door opened up a moment later, as a woman who shared similar features to him peeked her head in. "Ah, hey Saph!" He sounded excited to see the woman, no doubt happy to be rid of the sudden invasion of the Schnee. _'I should take my chance... next time. It would not be bad to choose an... opportune time to visit, right?'_ She had her obligations, of course.

"I heard that there was a- Oh, hello! You are the solicitor, speaking to Jaune?" The fact that she had gone unrecognized by the woman was not as important as the casual way that he referred to her. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Are you representing Jaune in the case that the Schnee Dust Company might have against him?"

' _I suppose you could call it that...'_ The smile on her lips was as easily there as it was. "Ah, you could say that I am here about that matter, yes." She settled herself a little better in the seat, noticing that her heels had still been left at the foot of the bed, half-fallen off. She hoped that the woman would not mind.

"Aren't you a lucky man, Jaune! She's a pretty lady!" The look that the woman gave her was nothing if not uncomfortable. It made her feel... prey-like. She frowned, meeting that gaze and seeing it slide away. She held up her hand with the wedding ring, letting it glint a little. "My name is Saphron Cotta-Arc, I hope you don't mind me disturbing you... His oldest sister has flown the coop, no doubt to get some... eh, dubious choices done. I was just going to check on Jaune to see whether he wanted something."

"I'm good." Jaune said, perhaps a tad too quickly, a nervous glance was given to her, even as his... sister, or so she thought, stepped into the room.

"Call me Willow. Jaune and I have... things to speak of that are long and hard..." Her fingers worked slightly on her dress to better cover herself, the tight-fitting garment not as easy to get back on once it'd been opened up as she'd like it to be. "and of course, there is no reason why I should be here if his family is around. Such topics are better left for a... more private setting. I am sure that such a task will be a rather... lengthy appointment?" Her gaze went to Jaune, who turned redder in the face with every word. _'Oh yes, just you wait... There'll only be humans winning this little game of Get the Guy: Faunus versus Humanity edition... Willow Schnee does not throw the towel in the ring that easy...'_

She could see him leaning forward a little, obviously to hide his little problem, the predatory smile back on her lips. "Please, make sure that you represent him well. The Schnee Dust Company has very good lawyers, if my wife is to be believed... which I do, really."

"Saphron, I don't really think..." Jaune complained, even as his sister gave him a worried look. It was touching, in a sense, that Willow had not seen such a look between her children yet... that they had always treated her as the louse who laid in the gardens to get drunk, who did not care for them. She did care for them, yet she was trapped... Trapped in a loveless marriage with nobody to fill her up with that hot sensual energy.

"We can't afford anything better than the public ones, Jaune... You know that Terra works double shifts so that we can support mom." The woman's plight made her faintly give a sound of understanding, even as she rose from her seat, stepping into her heels once again and looking at Jaune for a moment.

"I must be off, then. I have to meet a rival for the mandatory 'get drunk and make googly eyes at each other whilst talking about boys we like' ritual." The sarcasm thing that she did was not really that much practised, save for those moments when a witty one-liner would suffice. She could see the sister smile at her.

"Ah, you must be busy. Thank you for taking Jaune's case. He was one of the only ones who was hurt in the incident, and whilst I don't think that he would be blamed fully... The medical costs alone will cost us quite a bit, although the Schnee Dust Company seems to be willing to foot the bill, even getting him ferried to this expensive private clinic..." She could feel the woman's hands as they grabbed hers suddenly, the warmth something that was rare enough, even as a smile flickered into existence on her face, a warm one.

"Do not worry. As long as I am here, the Schnee Dust Company would not do a thing against Jaune." The words were out before she had thought about it, the use of the personal name a slip-up, undoubtedly due to the mood having been so intense. _'Fuck, I probably WILL need new underwear when I'm back at the limousine.'_

"Thank you." The genuineness of the woman's eyes was something real, something that could scarcely be repaid. _'I can buy their whole family for life. Funds for their livelihood, their whole body given the most luxurious treatments every day of the year, if they so wish it. I am a Schnee and I am made of Dust and Lien...'_ "Oh, I don't have your name yet, I'm sorry, I got carried away, worrying about my little baby brother." The sniff from Jaune was adorable, as he mumbled something about 'not being a baby', the brief thought of Jaune suckling from her breast giving her a very inappropriate line of thinking.

"Call me Willow." It was out, before she had any clue that she'd said it. So much for being ambiguous about her own manner. "Jaune...You can call me Will." It was a shortening of her name, something that just kept her as mostly anonymous if she used it.

Will was a diminutive of William or Willow, Willthorpe and Willbrecht, if one went with the classical names. Not even her husband was given the liberty to shorten her name and to call her that, yet she had just about said to the young man that he could use it. _'Father used to call me Will if he needed me to do something... He said that it was because of my willpower, but I guess that was just another word for stubborn.'_

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Willow. Those Schnee people... they're awfully cold. I heard they mistreat their Faunus staff and that they do all sorts of bad things to them!" The woman said, and she undoubtedly... did not know who she was speaking to. To be so rude against a Schnee whilst just going to speak at a level where it was like 'yeah and they kick puppies too', was just... indescribable. She would have a laugh though if she could see the woman's face when she found out that she'd just talked to the Schnee matriarch herself. _'There cannot possibly be two people who don't know the major players in the world, right?'_

"I will be off for now. I will see you... sometime tomorrow, Jaune. Expect a long chat about... things that matter." She smiled, winking at him. "And perhaps I'll wear something a little bit more scandalous for our brave hero to have some nice dreams, eh?"

"You shouldn't tease my little brother like that, Willow. You have to have some impartiality as a solicitor!"Willow found herself not caring so very much, as she smiled at Jaune. "See you later... and I will ensure that my colleague knows well the hard issues that you face, Jaune."

She was out the door in a moment, her bodyguards getting into line with her, the mask of Schnee perfection slipped on without a care. A darker-skinned woman stood there near the vending machine, carrying a child that shared her features. _'Adorable... I would not...'_

Her eyes went back to the door, stopping for an instant, and the woman looked up, as the child in her arms moved to grab at one of the earrings that the mother wore. "Good evening." She said, her voice polite and just a little above the point of frostiness, as was dedicated by protocol.

"She's pretty!" The child said, bringing a smile to Willow's lips. _'If only Whitley was as cute as this little boy... But no, he had to be taught how to properly follow etiquette at age four..._ 'Her husband had created a dynasty, but she supposed it would rather be called a nasty, with how the company's reputation seemed to go.

"A charmer in the making, I see." The woman nervously smiled at her, not answering in the slightest. "Hello there little man... Who might you be?" The question hung in the air for a moment, as the woman mustered the will to speak.

"His name is Adrian." She said, her voice still carrying hesitation. It was hardly necessary, she was not some viper who rose from some bushes in order to bite some weak and feeble prey to death... But certain snakes that lurked in certain bushes definitely had an appointment to make a nest inside her, whether they wished to or not... Alas, such was the issue with people these days... they did not know that the rich held the power to take what they wanted...

"A pretty name for a pretty boy. Are you here visiting a relative?" She supposed that there were other clients here, who needed care. The woman looked at the direction that she had just came from. "My wife's brother, he was admitted here with a gunshot wound." A soft 'Ah' came from her lips then, connecting the dots.

"Mister Arc?" She guessed, the nod enough to confirm it. "I... see. Well... be sure to look forward to the notice." The businesswoman called Willow Schnee did not leave without being properly intimidating. That Jaune's sister had seen her warmer side did not mean that she could not at least sow the oats of worry within the mind of his sister in law... She started to walk away, already mentally starting to count the number of bottles that she'd bring for the little gathering with Sienna.

"Miss Schnee, if it is money that you are after, I am working for-" The place that the woman worked at was of no importance, even as she turned her gaze back to the woman. "Oh, where you work isn't that important, Miss Arc. Compared to the wealth I have at my disposal, it is an easy case to win." She would not allow anyone to imagine that she, Willow Schnee, actually cared for others.

"But..." The woman tried, yet Willow shook her head. "I am not interested, Miss Arc. Mister Arc has to repay his debt to the Schnee family in some fashion... it is the law." That the other miscreants were not subjected to such an investigation was solely because Jaune was the only one to have been ferried to the hospital due to the wound inflicted, the Headmaster swooping in to clear the air between the police forces and the students.

Officially, on the papers, the Dust Shipment was destroyed in the fracas between the smugglers that were loosely allied to the White Fang and the individual known as Roman Torchwick, whose presence at the scene had been confirmed. Adam Taurus was mentioned as a 'brave young man' who fought off the smugglers with the aid of team JNPR and team RWBY, who happened to be in the vicinity to aid Mr Taurus, due to some friendship between Adam Taurus and the leader of team JNPR. It was mostly hogwash, due to the way that this had all happened. The media publicity was just the icing on the cake, with the 'brave conduct' of the teens and 'Mister Taurus' mentioned frequently. Sienna ought to be happy about her own organisation growing slightly more popular.

Still... Jaune had been hurt in the fracas and there had to be someone assigned partial blame. Her husband had been ill-pleased when he had heard the news, threatening to immediately sue for damages to the young man, due to the Dust Shipment being destroyed... but she had been apt at ensuring that this could be a political gain for them.

' _Jacques knows not the way of the public... A good deed, rewarding the brave and valiant hero of the Docks... His medical costs covered by the Schnee Dust Company... It would show that we can be humane when it is needed. Mister Taurus' medical costs added up are only mere chump change in the grand scheme of things... You really should have learned that the way to people's hearts is through their empathy, Jacques... A good deed is better remembered than an evil deed, if one packages it well.'_ She was out the clinic in a flash, her body moving with grace and ease as the limousine door was opened up for her. "To the White Fang's office, back entrance. Sienna and I have things to speak about."

She was going to get sloshed AND rub it in Sienna's face that she'd had a good reaction from their little blonde boy-toy... Ooh, Sienna was going to be jealous...

* * *

Jaune looked at the clock as he heard Saphron hum slightly, an apple in her hands, sliced into parts and peeled beforehand. She was doing that again, being motherly... and he couldn't really blame her. "Squirt!" The door opened and his oldest sister entered, the smell of liquor hanging around her as the brash woman stepped in, the shirt that she wore stained with what seemed to be puke.

' _Gods... At least Willow manages to stay coherent when she's sloshed.'_ There was a lot of things to be said about Willow Schnee, the fact that she'd just about told him that he was going to lose his virginity in the bed right here, but she was at least composed when she had some alcohol in her system. "Hey there, big sis." The woman sat herself down on the bed, blonde hair wild and uncombed, a clear change from the neat style that she'd had before in her early teens.

"Soooo... What's got little Terry in a tizzy? She was freaking out about something, calling someone and arguing about extra pay and something." Viv was a lot of things, but subtle, she was not. He watched his older sister scratch her cheek, a confused look on her face.

"Jaune's solicitor came here to speak with him. " Saphron added, even though Willow seemed to have done a decent job at making sure that she was not too recognized. He didn't think that Saphron really knew who she had just spoken with. _'If you knew that you'd just spoken with Willow Schnee, you probably wouldn't be smiling so much.'_

"Oh, she a good bird?" The question was blunt and to the point, Saphron smiling faintly. It was clear that this topic was going to be something that definitely was going to be repeated around the Arc family dinner table.

"Oh, she looked smoking... Those haughty eyes, their colour so blue that you'd just drown in them. If I did not have Terra, I would not mind dragging her into a laundry room for some extensive cleaning." There was a side to his family that he did not really like... The bluntness and the occasional flashes of 'we are a weird family'. Terra was nice, but his sisters got too far ahead of themselves when they teased him. _'I guess I won't tell them about Willow being a Schnee then.'_

"Ooh, that fit? Jaune... You didn't tell me that you were a chick magnet! Has our little Joan become Jaune for real?" The teasing tone in Vivian's voice was real, and he sighed.

"He even had a Faunus get all up in his face. Nice dark complexion, a nice set of tits, albeit a bit small. Nothing that can top my Terra, though." The giggle that his sister made was something that he had long since grown used to. His sisters had a 'sliding scale of Jaune-approval', which rated most girls that he showed even the slightest bit of affection or attention to, on a scale from one to seven.

"She's just a woman I know! It's nothing..." He was blushing. If it had been Sienna who had crawled onto his bed, he did not know what he would have done. _'Curse you, teenage hormones..._ ' That he knew that the woman would never do such a thing was a given. Willow was a tease, a horrible tease, who flirted and did daring things, but really...

' _Was she serious?'_ Did an older woman seriously try to seduce him... without the need for alcohol in her system? _'Am I just a conquest or... something more?'_ "Jaune? Hey, Viv to Jaune... come in." He was drawn out of his musing as he saw Viv pop up in front of his face. "Thinking of hot Faunus girls, Jaune?" His sister teased, even as he blushed.

' _Sienna is definitely too good for me... She'd never consider me as a partner.'_ "Maybe... Why, are you going to ape Saphron?" The grin on Viv's face fell, as she frowned. "Perhaps... Perhaps Saphron and you should do that threesome that you kept on talking about three months ago."

Vivian's eyes went wide, as she looked at Saphron, whose mouth had fallen open as well. "I never... Saph, you've got to believe me!" The dubious look on Saphron's face was enough to make her older sister push forward. "No, never! I'm not into family fun, nope... You've got to believe me!"

"You said that Terra had a nice ass... And now I hear this... Vivian..." Saphron's eyes met with her older sister, as she looked sternly. "I am disappointed in you. You could have just asked whether you could borrow Terra for a while." The look on Vivian's face was enough to make Saphron laugh. "Oh, the look on your FACE. Like someone took your favourite bottle and smashed it right in front of you."

"Hey honey, we're going to have to be a bit tight in the pocket for the next year or so... The Schnee may be giving us hell, finance-wise." Terra's worried face came from the door, as she looked at Vivian and Saphron, the latter still giggling softly, Vivian inching backwards. "Oh, are you alright, Vivian?"

His oldest sister made a sound in her throat that did not sound natural, scooting away from Saphron and pushing against his wound, the pained 'OWW!' that came from his mouth big enough, as a searing pain came from the stitched skin where the bullet had been retrieved from. "Oh shit, I'm sorry Jaune!"

Blood started to stain the bandages, as he felt the pain again. Perhaps one of the stitches had popped, which hurt enough on its own. _´Damn it, family can really hurt you at times!'_

It seemed that he might be in the hospital for a little while longer, even as the door was opened by a frantic-looking Vivian. "Oi, Nurse! Get your skinny ass over here!"

Life sucked slightly if you were called Jaune Arc.

* * *

Sienna's eyes were bleary, even as she looked at the passed out form of Willow Schnee in their private little room, the bottles already emptied and the smell of sweat heavy in the air, the woman snoring like a little hell-demon in her sleep, hair dishevelled.

"Hey, Willow?" Her voice was rough, as she shook the woman slightly. That the woman had described in full detail about how she'd groped the young man of their mutual fascination was just the icing on the cake to her. _'I should do something about my human.'_

It had been shameful to her at first, but she had grown used to it. Caring for a young man might be wrong in the eyes of society, yet he was someone special to her... and she wanted some of that special feeling for herself.

' _Time to go on the hunt...'_

* * *

 **Another chapter, this time with 100% more Willow Schnee. Yay. There is a distinct divide between 'Business-Schnee' and 'Matriarch Schnee', mainly in the way that they speak. Sienna? Sienna is emotion and frustration, bundled together. She does not think very well before she speaks if she is in a heightened emotional state. Their contrasts are nice.**

 **To reiterate once more... This is Jaune X Sienna for the final pairing. Does that mean that Willow is going to be merely some sort of background character? No. She's going to pop up a few more times. Though... You can see that Sienna has already claimed Jaune as 'hers' and is slipping up already.**

 **For those people who wish clarification on why Jaune was shot so easily and why it was anticlimactic... He is not in the slightest bit prepared for ranged attackers. He had even less training than in canon.**

 **Adam being bipolar was planned, yes. It has a few signs in people, so the mood swings were intended. I modeled his behaviour after someone I knew once upon a time, a very mercurial individual. No wild rants planned for Adam though... but you get to see his charm once more. He's on the road to recovery... ish.**

 **Next chapter will be uploaded next week (I have a guest over for the next week, so I split this chapter in two.) Next chapter, JNPR and RWBY visits... Oh, and more Willow.**


	15. Stride, two steps

**Chapter 15: Stride, two steps**

 **There usually is funny stuff here in the writing stage, inspired by the reviews that people leave. I can safely say that the possibility of them going into a threesome relationship is present, though. Willow can be forceful, if needed.**

* * *

He was bored. The third day had been something of a bother, with only his family coming for a visit. Adam had been by earlier in the morning, apparently on some new medication that would allow for him to be a little more moderate in his views, his eyes holding a new outlook, as far as Jaune could see.

His family did not like Adam Taurus much, though. Terra had given Adam a look that was unfriendly in the least, with Saphron placing her hand on the shoulder of her wife, in order to caution her from such actions. It was no doubt something with the Faunus part of his being. "Soooo... Who's going to represent your case?" Saphron asked, her voice teasing as she spoke, her eyes twinkling, Vivian leaning against a wall, her weapon put at her side.

"Represent my case?" He inquired, not sure what she was referring to. Of course, there would be some action against him, yet Sienna had assured him that if anything were to happen, she would ensure that there would be no fallout.

"The Schnee Dust Company will be handling proceedings, I believe. Terra ran into Mrs. Schnee, I'm not sure... "Saphron's words did not make sense to him. _'Willow wouldn't do something like that...'_ The look on his sister's face was enough to make him feel better, at least for a little while. He knew that there would be more to be said about the subject, yet he hadn't seen Sienna or Willow today yet.

They probably were keeping their distance, due to the fallout that this event generated. Whatever the White Fang did, he didn't know for certain whether the political side would need more reinforcement than before. _'It was with the masks, right... But Sienna does not wear a mask.'_

He knew well that the burden of being politically active would cut into the private life of people. A knock on the door came and he motioned for Vivian to open it, his sister's face showing clearly the irked side of hers. "Jaune!" Pyrrha's voice made him smile.

"Pyrrha! Ren! Nora!" He felt a surge of happiness go through him as he realized that they had come to visit him, the worried look in Pyrrha's eyes looking as comforting as it should. "I'm sorry, I can't really get up. The doctors said that the bullet pierced through a few organs, which, while stitched up, need to recover from the trauma." It was not something that he enjoyed, really, but the recovery time should be relatively swift. Huntsmen apparently heal quicker, or so I've been told."

"Well... We are happy that you're recovering quickly." Pyrrha, as the unofficial spokesperson for team JNPR, spoke up. The look on her face was warm, as Ren stepped forwards.

"Hello, you must be Jaune's family." Vivian cleared her throat, as she looked him over. "My name is Lie Ren and I have been fortunate to be selected to be on Jaune's team." The look on his oldest sister's face was judgmental, as she was usually, her eyes looking at each member with that silent look of 'you're not good enough'.

"My name is Saphron Cotta-Arc, a pleasure. This is my son, Adrian Cotta-Arc and my wife, Terra Cotta-Arc." Saphron did the introductions, even as she looked at every member of the team for a moment. "You're the girl from the cereal, Pyrite Nikky, right?"

' _She looks happy about the mangling of the name.'_ He smiled at Pyrrha, whose cheeks grew even hotter. "It's Pyrrha Nikos, miss Cotta-Arc." She corrected, Saphron nodding, no doubt going to tease him later.

"And who might this young lady be?" Saphron asked, as Nora shrank back behind Ren, uncharacteristically so. "A shy one?" Terra nudged her wife, giving her a look that clearly meant 'not the time, Saphron', as she looked at the other members of the team. The gift basket that Nora suddenly placed on the bed looked to be well-filled.

"Nora Valkyrie! Girlfriend of the coolest cutest sloth-hunter in the world, Lie Ren!" _'They are now together-together... Gee, I wonder when that happened.'_ The exclamation seemed to surprise Pyrrha, yet Ren's face merely showed a resigned nature, as he sighed good-naturedly.

"We decided to make things official... You got shot, so..." The Mistralian youth said, as he looked at his girlfriend. "No need to be shy, Nora...It's just Jaune." Jaune thought that he should feel a little different, now that the topic had landed on relationships, yet he still felt the same.

"I feel good, guys. Thank you for coming to visit." The smiles that that statement drew was enough, even as his wounds itched slightly.

"Jaune... We've got to ask, but... Did you have training before?" The question made him wince, his oldest sister's face showing her annoyance. "It's not that we would like to pry, but..."

"He's not had a wink of training, and if I ever find the idiot who activated his Aura, they're going to have a vodka bottle shoved right up their keister!" He could see Pyrrha's face turning pale, as she didn't speak up.

"Viv, it's okay! I'm still alive, am I not?" The look that he got from his sister meant surely that she was not pleased about his status of being in the bed due to the gunshot wound. _'I'll still be a hero... Professor Ozpin did not come by to tell me that I was being kicked out of Beacon yet, so...'_

"You could've died when those Faunus rats shot you!" His sister always had to be so crude, even as Saphron and Terra shared a look, yet they did not comment. "He could've died... Who was so stupid as to allow him into Beacon?"

"Professor Ozpin." He said, Vivian's mouth clicking shut, audibly. There seemed to be that look of defiance in those eyes that increased sharply, as her eyes met with his own. "And I would not have it any other way! You're a Huntsman, so you know what it is like. I want to be just like dad used to be."

His sister's face was enough of a warning to him that he had said more than he ought to have. "Jaune, you KNOW the dangers! I won't lose you like we lost dad!" The look in her eyes was fierce, and she leaned forward, her hands at her hips, her eyes blazing.

"So? I want to HELP people. I want to make sure that the world is safer!" The hope in his voice could not be suppressed. He knew that his sister had started to drink due to the stresses of the job, yet he had hoped that she would understand.

"Jaune, I-" Vivian's voice cut off, a helpless expression on her face as she straightened. Pyrrha interjected then, speaking curtly.

"We'll train him. All of us." Pyrrha said, as she looked a little hesitantly between him and his older sister. "He's our team leader and... not bad, with tactics and strategies. Jaune, we will make you better." She smiled, confident in that he would improve.

"That... that means a lot to me, Pyrrha." She smiled at him, her cheeks a little red. "I'm happy that you're all willing to help me. I know that I've not been the best leader..." He could see Nora move up to his bed, all smiles.

"You, Jaune, helped us find Blake! You're someone who would do anything for a friend... So here we are, going to make you feel like you've been pounded into the ground! Expect us to make your legs feel like they are going to be BROKEN!" The spooky laughter that followed afterwards was something that he could have done without, Ren's hand on her shoulder making the laughter taper off, as the energy seemed to drain out of those eyes.

"We will help you out, Jaune. You'd do the same if you were in our position." The trustable voice of Ren was no doubt the greatest confirmation that he could get. Ren would know the proper way to do things, undoubtedly. He was not a man who spoke much, yet Jaune trusted him and his judgments. Nora's... not so much, as she was usually the one who would encourage more violence.

"I don't know what to say guys… Thank you." The smiles on his team's face were enough payment, even as Vivian cleared her throat.

"He's going to need a lot of help. You look like the sort who focuses exclusively on melee… well, maybe if the dust around the orange one's body didn't smell like explosives… but yeah… you need work on ranged combat, little brother." The admission that he would be needing a lot of help was enough for him to know that he'd secured Vivian's permission.

"You can't, he's Jaune!" Saphron said, Jaune's peeved look not affecting her much.

"I can decide for myself, Saph! It's not like I'm a baby!" Adrian made that moment to give a little 'Ga!', drawing the attention to him.

"Aww, he's so cuuuuuute!" Nora's attention was diverted immediately, as she started to fuss over the little man, the attention diverted from him, a cross look on his face, even as Pyrrha smiled.

"The most adorable baby are you, Jaune." She winked, drawing a snort from him and Vivian at the same time.

"I happen to agree. He does strike you as a broken bird with a limp wing… Weak and inefficient." The voice of Sienna drifted from behind Pyrrha, the latter turning around to face Sienna, whose business-suited appearance was nothing too out of the ordinary. To him, at least. The stiffening of the Huntsman-trained people in the room was something that he noticed only slightly after Sienna had spoken.

"Every Thursday, you know the address. Seven to eleven. Be there and get pounded, Human." That was as much Sienna-speech as she could make it, her orange eyes glowing faintly. _'With Willow being as much a tease as she can get away with and Sienna's no-nonsense manner about her, it would hardly be something that I could refuse…'_

"Ah, I am not sure that we have been introduced…" Pyrrha stated, even as she saw the look on Sienna's face and immediately seemed more guarded. Orange eyes narrowed, as she looked from Pyrrha to him, that look of 'you're fucked now, boy' that she often put on when she was mad looking perhaps a little… affectionate?

It might have just been Willow's teasing the day before, or that moment when she'd nearly crawled on his bed and taken her liberty with him. Her words 'I can buy your family' rang in his mind, even as Sienna looked at him, her eyes smouldering with whatever emotion she felt.

"Sienna Khan. A pleasure, human." The words that she used made it sound like she actually didn't think it much of a pleasure, Jaune giving a sigh. It was just how Sienna was, brusque and with a hint of softness when she let the guard she kept around herself down.

"She's really not that bad. She's a friend!" The baleful look that Sienna gave him was VERY intimidating, those eyes narrowed to slits and those orange eyes shooting violent death at him.

"Just… a friend?" Her voice was chilly, as he winced. _'She's mad, yep…'_

"Alright, alright.. My glorious benefactor, Tiger Queen of the Jungle!" The eyes narrowed, the mouth set in a look that would be adorable under other circumstances.

"You suck, Jaune. I should have just let her have you." The 'her' who she referred to was obviously Willow. Without meaning to, his body responded, making him shift slightly to avoid embarrassment. "But I guess you ARE apt that I am as much a queen as you claim me to be."

The savage grin on her face did not match her words, as her gaze looked him over. "You're the leader of the White Fang, right?" Ren asked, more to confirm it or anything.

"I am. We try to ensure a place for Faunus in this society. Any and all rumours about us being terrorists are false. Some of our members may have decided to dabble in smuggling and stealing, yet I have not had my hands sullied by such crude ways." _'She is really dedicated.'_ The knowledge that she was, had been old news to him.

"And you know Jaune… how?" His oldest sister's voice held suspicion, as Sienna's eyes locked with him, that small smile coming to her lips. _'She's going to take revenge… Yep. That's definitely going to be it.'_

"Isn't it obvious, human? We are lovers." The words were out with a snarky tone, as the woman shifted slightly in her manner of standing, showing her perfect features, the look of haughty supremacy mingling with the austere manner of a woman who was used to working the public with words of political import.

"Bullllllshit." Vivian said, Sienna's eyes narrowing slightly as she turned to the woman. "He wouldn't have the ability to get to know someone like you. He's goofy, not good with women at all and he always tries too hard."

' _What a way to give me a glowing review…'_ He felt slighted by his sister's words, yet she seemed to be fully conscious of the way that she was speaking about him. "I'm not that bad!"

Sienna turned to him and snorted. "No, you're worse. It's a minor miracle that we actually can stand to be in the same room as each other." She sighed, dramatically. "But alas, I do owe you a favour for ensuring that Kali's daughter did not get herself hurt seriously by that criminal…"

The words of the woman were most definitely something to watch for, as the subtle message of 'I'm saving your bacon now', was conveyed adequately. "Thursdays. I'm taking the time out of my schedule to make your skinny little butt improve."

"Well, thanks." He said, Sienna giving a curt nod, looking at the other people in the room. "This is my family, Vivian, who doubts my ability to talk to women, Saphron and Terra, who you already know… And my team. Pyrrha, my partner." Sienna's eyes fixed Pyrrha with a look that meant brutal dismemberment in Faunus-body language, if the way that Pyrrha flinched back was any indication. "Ren and Nora, who happen to be dating now…"

"Yay! He introduced us! This is just like our glorious leader to do, make us be all 'important'!" Nora's exuberance seemed to barely impact Sienna, who looked at him with a look of minor pique.

"You owe me, Jaune Arc." The softly muttered comment was enough, as she gave a light wave, turning around on her heels and leaving the room. _'Perhaps she was just not comfortable with this many people?'_ He wondered. Before she shut the door, she glared at the occupants of the room. "Don't mention that I'm linked with him." She said with a growl, the door shutting with a bang.

"So… How exactly did you manage to meet Sienna Khan?" His sister's wife Terra inquired, her eyes locked with him, a fierce look that no doubt had won her the love and adoration of his older sister. "This does not look like it is merely a casual acquaintance-ship."

"Eh… I shall remain silent, so as to not incriminate myself?" Terra's lips pressed together in a tight line, even as Pyrrha gave an embarrassed cough.

"Jaune… if she has something on you, it is okay… I can use my agency to-" He shook his head.

"No! Please… don't. She's a good person, even if she's… finicky." The faint throb of his heart was something that he chose to ignore, as other words could come to his mind about the leader of the White Fang. _'She is finicky, yet she stands with her people, always ready to come and help someone…'_ She was more than just a politician. "She's not as bad as she wants to be. Kali, eh… the wife of the chieftain of Menagerie, always said that she's got a great heart for the cause, so she's just passionate and driven. She's helped me out when I needed the documents to get into Beacon."

"Did you… get accepted on the signature of the leader of the White Fang?" Vivian asked, her voice sounding unusually shocked. "Professor Ozpin did not have any problems with that at all?"

"No, he complimented me on my dancing, actually… Professor Goodwitch and he were at the gala, so yeah… Eh, I gave Sienna dancing lessons… It's your fault for making me get those dancing lessons, Viv!"

The sound of a wry chuckle was enough, even with the woman's head shaking. "Only you, Jaune… Oh dear… The pre-requisite check must've been waived all along then, just because you wowed Ozpin with a good few dance moves." _'pre-requisite check?'_

"With Huntsmen Academies, the academic record of each student is held against the application letter, no matter what. To get permission from the leader of a Faunus Rights organization to enter Beacon on forged documents… well…" Vivian shook her head, pulling her Huntsman license out of her pocket. "There are three marks on the license."

He could see them. "Each stands for one level of education. Combat School, Huntsman Academy and Graduate School. Four years of Beacon, one of graduate school. Without the Combat School mark, you can only be accepted on the merit clause, in which you have shown that you are able to make the cut."

"A very concise manner of speech, Miss Arc." The voice of the Headsmaster came from behind Pyrrha, Jaune's head turning to the door opening, where the headmaster stood, a cup of what seemed to be hot chocolate in his hand, his face looking fairly neutral.

"It is not always required to get a degree or a passing grade in order to get into the Huntsman Academies. I, in my youth, only managed to attain Huntsman status at age twenty-five. I became Headmaster ten years afterwards, yet I know well the skills of a Huntsman when I see them." The other students in the room immediately made way for the Headmaster, who smiled benignly at them.

"Still, I have come here in the capacity of being your Headmaster to wish you a speedy recovery. With the Schnee Dust Company ensuring that the medical fees are being taken care of, you will be amongst the student body in less than a week's time." The amusement in the man's voice was real, as he looked at the members of the Arc family present.

"My decision to admit Jaune to the school was based on my evaluation, if you would feel more assured to know. Even those who hail from destitute circumstances…" The man seemed to glance over to Ren and Nora, who met the man's gaze, Ren's mouth looking slightly thin as his lips pressed together. "or those who have been acclaimed in the world through their actions." A look at Pyrrha, who merely nodded, her red hair bouncing slightly.

"All of those have the potential… Yet it is wasted if they do not have the spirit of a true Huntsman. A Huntsman, in the way that I see it, is not only a shield against the Grimm, yet is also an inspiration to others." The man's voice seemed to be poetic, as he spoke. "You never were able to achieve the position of a leader, Miss Arc."

Vivian's face coloured, her gaze cast down to the ground. "She was much more suited for it, really…"The Headmaster nodded at that.

"Indeed, she was. The moment when she challenged you and told you to obey was the defining moment. She saw weakness and challenged it, to fall in line with her plan. Sometimes, the best choice for a leader on paper is not the best choice for leader that would leave a team to succeed." The man took another sip from his hot chocolate, the smell mixing with the scent of the medical room.

"Sometimes, the determination to be a hero, to make sure that those decisions get made and the people of the team are used to their maximum potential, is what makes a leader." The man's eyes glinted behind the green glasses that he wore, a faint smile given. "The moment that I saw you act decisively, ensuring that there would be nothing but victory in your future, was the moment that I knew you would be a perfect fit for Beacon."

The man's eyes fixed him with a look of understanding, even as he thought back to the moment when he'd sent Sienna after the drunk Willow to care for her. _'You look at the person's skill and personality more than their education…'_

"Also… you survived initiation. Thirty people did not, this year." The man's words brought the grim reality to the conversation once more. "Regardless of what you did in order to achieve your goal, you did. You went out to save a friend, a laudable thing in most circumstances."

"Still, Mister Arc, you are expected back in classes the day after you have been greenlit to be released. This is not a holiday camp that we are running here."The man's smile was devious, as he nodded his head.

"It is a pleasure to see you again, Miss Arc. Do tell your brother not to imitate your performance at the dance… it would be a sight to see, yet my deputy would find a reason to boot him from the program." Seeing his sister's face turn crimson was enough to confirm that there was a story behind those words.

"He would never!" The immediate dismissal peaked his interest, as he looked at his sister. "Professor Goodwitch accepted my apologies!" The man chuckled good-naturedly, his eyes sparkling with mirth.

"I bid you a good night… Oh, Miss Rose and her team will be coming by as well. Students usually are not allowed to leave Campus during school nights, yet an exemption has been made for your team and hers, based on your friendship." The man disappeared through the door, his cane tapping on the ground intermittently as he left, leaving his team and his family there in silence.

"So… What happened?" He asked Vivian, whose eyes went wide as she realized that she was now the vocal point of the conversation.

"Nothing!" She said, her voice sounding shriller than before. "Nothing that you need to know!"

"Oh, I know… Professor Goodwitch was very explicit in her details about what was considered 'appropriate'. I don't even know WHERE you got the whipped cream from…" Saphron said, grinning at Vivian whilst she said it, confirming that there had been an incident.

"Hush! It was nothing important!" The accused looked flustered, Jaune noticing the difference in her manner. "Nothing came of it!" Saphron giggled, nudging Terra in the side. She was about to speak, but Vivian beat her to it. "You will not breathe a word of what was said to Mama! I can still remember the time that she scolded me for that thing when I was fourteen, saying that it was not polite for young women to do something like that!"

He really wanted to know, his gaze meeting with Pyrrha's, who smiled faintly. All seemed to be well with his team now, which was a good thing in his mind.

"We should go. It's nearing nine in the evening." The words of Ren were the words of wisdom, Pyrrha snapping to attention immediately.

"I'll be seeing you again soon, Jaune." She smiled at him, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his cheek. _'What is it with women and giving a kiss? It's the third time that this has happened to me!'_

Pyrrha turned red in the face as she beat a hasty retreat, seizing a hold of Nora and then practically fleeing the room, leaving him behind, his family mostly silent. "So… Eh… Jaune?"

"Yes, Saph?" He said, his older sister looking at him with a look that was both teasing as well as concerned.

"I'd like to-" The door opened suddenly and Ruby appeared, smiling brightly.

"Jaune!" She said, bouncing towards him, excited. "You're alright!"

He could spot the rest of the team just a few paces behind her, Yang's hair loose and carefully groomed, Blake's bow sitting right on top of her head, Weiss looking decidedly haughty, a flush on her cheeks… and Willow standing right at her side.

Willow came dressed in a more moderate business suit, fitted perfectly to her frame, the cleavage allowing a clear view of her bountiful breasts, outlining perfectly that she had what Weiss lacked. The hand on her daughter's shoulder was enough to support the Schnee girl, who seemed shaken.

It was time to face Ruby and her team.

* * *

"Ensure that we have a moment." The look at the watch was clear, as she knew that Sienna would be up for another drink, after a visit to Jaune. It was important that she stayed in the lead, because Willow Schnee did not lose to some little jungle kitten if she could help it.

It had long since stopped being about the fact that the blonde young man had corrected her and refused her advances. It was now about proving that she was right, that she had the skills to beguile a man and make him hers. That flare of competition, even as she worried slightly about the opposition, who held more of an advance than she had, burning brightly.

She entered the clinic, coming to see a splash of white, red, purplish black and yellow standing there at the desk, looking forlorn and lost… and she knew her daughter better than any of that. The bodyguards behind her fell into line, even as she could see Sienna emerging from the room that held that associate of hers, felled by… whatever, it was not important enough to draw her attention. She did not fancy redheads, after all.

"Sooo… Can we visit him?" The excited tone of voice of the short red-cloaked girl was enough to make her roll her eyes mentally, even as she crept up behind her daughter, her hands already moving into position, the receptionist looking at her for a moment, a smile flashing on her face, as her arms wrapped around her daughter, her breath tickling along her ear.

"Weisssss…" Her voice slurred, even though she'd only had five bottles today, the heavy breath filled with alcohol tickling the nostrils of her daughter, watching how she froze below her grip. "How'sh my girl." It was a performance that she had long-since perfected, even though the alcohol burned in her stomach still, her daughter not trying to wrench herself loose.

"M-mother." The formal way of speaking, as it had been taught to her little snowflake. Her daughter's voice had barely been higher than a whisper, a shocked one, not expecting the contact in the slightest. _´Mother loves you.'_ The words would not come from her mouth, as she leaned against her daughter. Such a small girl, compared to her own stature… She definitely inherited more of Jacques' genes than her own.

"I think they are allowed in, after all… They musssht be friends of Mister Arc, if they were on television with his gallant reshcue."The slur was hard to do when it was consciously made, yet she managed… sort of. Weiss continued to stiffen, even as Willow's eyes met the silver eyes of the young red-cloak.

"Oh! Are you Weiss' elder sister?" _'The girl knows flattery. Let's see…'_ Willow placed a smile on her lips, as she let go of her daughter and then gave the girl a hug. Stiffening happened immediately.

"Yoush so soft." The drunken murmur was enough, as the girl's scent was faintly of strawberries, the shampoo that she used clearly enough for the day's scent to work. "Yoush gonna be a good girl for my Weissh, yesh?"

"Mother, please…" Weiss pleaded, Willow's head turning to face her daughter, even as the red-cloaked girl's face was currently pushed right into her cleavage.

"I knowsh what I am doing, Weissh… You needs good friends. S' not the worst thing, y'shee? She'sh soft." The blonde with the massive rack seemed to be about to make it an issue, and Willow let go of the red-cloak's head, the girl having the audacity to take massive gulps of air, whispering something about it being like death…

' _It certainly is nothing like death!'_ "Miss Schnee, we are here to visit a friend of ours…" The purple girl with the bow said, her voice holding that brief edge of disdain, enough for Willow to immediately clue herself in as to who this was, the Belladonna girl that had been a nuisance in the rear for her. The Belladonna family WAS Menagerie, at this moment… which meant that the political power of this team was rather large.

"Then let's go! See your friend! With me!" The look of curiosity on the face of the red-cloaked girl was adorable. She was a good friend to Jaune, Willow reckoned.

"No, mother…" The look on Weiss' face was enough as she straightened out. "You… You're not going to sue him, are you?" Determination flashed in those eyes, a good look, which reminded her of her own younger days.

"Oh… A man who was harmed during the foiling of a terrorist plot to obtain Dust… Your father would be upset and go after everyone who had any sort of connection." The truth was as she said it. Jacques did not like losing his revenue and his Lien… so a scapegoat had to be found. The scapegoat would be of course the Faunus who had been arrested… but Sienna and the legal team of the White Fang could figure that out…

"So, you're going to sue…" The words made the other girls on Weiss' team hiss softly. Willow didn't think it that important, really, as she strode past them, the whispered conversation not at all a part of her own ploy to get herself some action. The chase made things all the more worthwhile, in her book.

"Miss Schnee, it's nice to see you and meet you, eh… A pleasure to make your friend?" The red-cloaked girl was simply adorable, as she stepped forwards to make an effort to politely greet her.

"Oh, are you the Arc boy's girlfriend?" She inquired, the reddening of the cheeks of the young girl leaving no doubt that it would be the case. _'I can see why she would want him… A heart which is unswayed, yet with kindness…'_ She subconsciously licked her lips.

"N-no, I'm j-just a friend. He's my first friend at Beacon." The budding girl didn't even know whether she was in love or not, Willow's eyes catching the looks of the other girls. The blonde seemed to be a little abashed, yet there was a concern in her expression, her little snowflake's expression shocked, no doubt that she'd said such a thing. "S-so… Eh…"

"Oh, then you must be his girlfriend." She directed her attention to the chesty blonde, letting her gaze rove over the body with a judging look. The girl seemed to be taken aback by the look, Willow's eyes looking amusedly at those lavender-coloured eyes, the frown on her face enough.

"No, but if he's offering…" The cocky grin was a definite turn-off. Compared to Sienna, this girl did not have the power yet to back up the cocky smirk that she mustered right now.

"Yang!" The red-cloaked girl said, her voice loud. The blonde laughed.

"Blake's been aching to meet him, haven't you? I bet you want to ask him all about how Adam came to your gallant rescue." The Faunus, for that was indeed what the girl was, girl seemed to be taken aback, her bow quivering slightly. The case file had been brief, yet the girl in front of her had been an able hand in dispensing with the security personnel at the sites that had been robbed.

"Mister Taurus rests in this room." The nameplate was a good indication, A. T. enough of a hint, as she rapped her knuckles on the door. "Perhaps you should be going to see him, before you see Mister Arc? Thank him for his… gallant rescue." She did not do the 'snarky sarcastic tone' well, yet she waited, as the girls looked between each other, her Snowflake looking a little doubtful, even as she waited for the short cloaked girl to make a decision.

"Are you here for Adam?" The soft voice of one of the members of staff came from the door, as it opened slightly. The young woman looked concerned, the light in the room dimmed slightly.

"Yes, these girls fought with him at the docks." Willow filled the nurse in, who smiled softly. The door closed once more with a click. "It seems you might have a brief diversion before you go to visit Mister Arc." She glanced at the bodyguard. "Give me a five-seven." The bottle was out in a flash, ready to be poured, the drink filling her mouth with that delightful taste. _'Ahh, nothing beats a good stiff drink when handling children… Even though I know I should quit.'_

The door opened again, the nurse standing there in the door opening. "Mister Taurus will see you now." The woman stepped aside, Willow waiting outside, before a look from the nurse fixed her. "You're not allowed to drink here, Miss." The snort that she gave was impolite and improper, as she shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't care." She said, stiffening her shoulders. As the girls of the team her little Snowflake was a member of filtered into the room, the sound of someone saying "Hello Blake." Came from the room, the Faunus girl stiffening, as Willow waited politely for the door to shut.

"Adam… you…" Little miss Faunus said, her voice choked with emotion. "You came to save me."

"I've been… I've been untrue to our ideals, Blake. I'm sick…" The man's voice sounded choked up by emotion, Willow sneaking a peek at the figure that laid in the bed, half-raised, a needle sticking out of an arm with an IV bag dripping fluid into the man's veins. "There are moments when I just… lose it."

' _I did hear something about a diagnosis, but didn't pay it much attention…'_ The knowledge that the young man had been instrumental in the White Fang's early days was something that had been carefully suppressed, according to Sienna. "Why… Why are you telling me this, Adam?"

"Because… Because I need to move on. Jaune has said enough and… I'm happy to call him a friend. He's a little rough around the edges at times and needs a lot of work, but he said to me…" There was a sob that came from the man, whose hand brushed through his hair. It was an awfully touching scene, Willow would admit.

"Everybody deserves a second chance." The man's face turned to the team, Willow's eyes catching sight of the messy brand of the Schnee Dust Company on the side of his face, his eye bloodshot. Her little snowflake hissed, the blonde's body language stiffened and the young red-hood seemed to go 'Oh no!' when she saw it. "That was the moment when I decided… To apologize. I'm not well in the slightest."

He looked at them for a long moment, Willow's own patience fraying already. This was cutting into her time with her boy-toy, and this was not conducive to the affairs she had set up. "When I got here, they took me in, and well…" There was doubt in the man's voice, as he looked at the Faunus girl.

"I'd like to apologize to you, Blake. I am sorry for treating you as I have, like a possession… I've come to see that now, thanks to the treatments here… I've been sick for a long while, it's gone untreated and…" he paused, looking at the nurse. "They can help me, at least for a little bit."

"Mister Taurus suffers from Bipolar personality disorder, something that can make people act erratically in the lesser circumstances, to extreme mood swings in heavier cases. He has been on an IV drip of calming medication, in order to keep his mood stable." The nurse said it so easily, as Adam laughed, a hollow laugh, one that Willow could see herself giving. _'It is like Jaune attracts those who hold nothing in their heart and then fills them with a purpose.'_

"Blake... I'm sorry." The young man said, once more re-iterating the point. Willow supposed that he was crying, even though she hardly paid attention to his face. He was but another man, one who seemed to be on the road to recovery. "I'm letting you go, it is for the best. Thank you for being one of the lights in the darkness." That conclusion seemed to be the aptest, as Willow saw it. One man, letting go of the things that he loved in order to better himself.

"Hey, eh... I'm Ruby Rose, I'm not sure if you remember..." The soft voice of the red-cloaked girl, now speaking. "Thank you for helping us find Blake. I know that there is a history between the two of you, but... Thanks, I guess." The man's smile was warmer.

"It was nice to fight beside humans for once, I'll admit. It was... It was only a few weeks before Jaune and I cemented our friendship. The first time I met him was when he was teaching dancing lessons... Blake, your mother... she worries for you." His words were soft, even as his gaze was torn down.

"I will give her a call... I know that she's in the general vicinity of Mistral now." The faint smile on Adam's face would look aesthetically pleasing to most women, yet Willow did not find it as pleasant as before. _'Come on! More Arc in my life, or I'm going to have to be going soon.'_

"Say... Say hi from me. Tell her that I'm sorry for abandoning you." The scar tissue on the man's face crinkled slightly, as she watched his face twist, a low groan coming from his mouth. "I'm just so tired... So... tired. Nurse, do you think you could give me something to sleep?" The nurse smiled softly, as she went to inject something into the bag.

"You'd best go. The treatment is pretty rough on his body, but he will get better." The nurse sounded fond, as she looked at the girls that had gathered, the Faunus girl giving what amounted to a tense smile.

"Take... take care Adam. You were a great mentor." The smile on his face was genuine, even as he nodded his head.

"Oh my gosh, what happened to his face." The tactful comments were definitely not meant for the young girl to be uttered, as her little Weiss gave a soft groan.

"He was branded at age ten by one of the supervisors at the mine that he worked in. It's one of the reasons why he usually wears a mask or makeup to... hide it." Misses Faunus spoke, her voice sounding confused. "But why would he have struck up a friendship with Jaune? Why? He hates humans..."

"Blake, don't you understand? We're all here to help out. Jaune is just a little different. Sure, he cannot really get on a vehicle well, but really... He's warm, friendly and willing to help." The smile on the girl's face definitely had more meaning than Willow would have liked.

"I guess... But really, dancing classes?" The girl said, Willow clearing her throat afterwards.

"To be able to dance is to aid one in becoming a Huntsman, or so my father has told me. I know nine different styles of dancing, as instructed by our butler. Weiss knows five, as far as I know." The curtsy that her daughter did was perfect, a smile on her face.

"Still..." The Faunus said, her eyes doubtful. "I think it is... suspicious."

"About as suspicious as the princess of Menagerie, the Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company and the wife of the current CEO of the Schnee Dust Company coming to visit a young man who had been caught up in a scandal that has rocked the media?" The words were snark-riddled and cool, as she drew herself up before the girl, looking down at her.

"I have taken the time to speak to the young man." _'More than once... more like, poured my heart out and checked whether he was gay.'_ She looked into the amber eyes of the young woman. "He seems sensible and not in the slightest bit suspicious. I make no allusions towards knowing him better than any of you, yet I can see that he seems to be an open book for all to read." She was perhaps going a little too far with her comments there, yet she knew that the girl needed to be straightened out.

"If you approach everything with such an attitude, are you any worse than Sienna Khan? Take a look at your behaviour and how you approach other people." She was fierce, yet she would not let some uppity little Faunus brat go and ruin the young man's life because of her 'suspicion'.

"But... sh-" Willow's finger snapped once, silencing the girl.

"No buts. Your father knows when to speak and when to remain silent. To see that you have fallen to such a state where you would be paranoid of every single human... Do you REALLY fear us that much, Miss Belladonna? My daughter, who has been raised properly, has accepted you as a team-mate." Her gaze went to her little snowflake, whose pale face looked resolute now. A swift nod and 'Yes, mother.' she gave confirmed that.

"Now... Are you going to shy away from these girls, who have put their trust in you, all because your ex-lover has friends? Are you really that shallow? Or am I going to see the 'great' Belladonna leap at me like some mongrel, acting like the animal she could be... Just because she cannot handle the thought of people making friends with that which she had once claimed?" She was going grossly over the set boundaries of conversation, anger within her welling up. _'Kids these days are a mess! It's almost as if they're taught how to be paranoid little lunatics instead of being good citizens!'_

"Mother, please... Do not be so harsh on her." The look that Willow gave her daughter was one of fierceness.

"She ran away from you simply because of her heritage. At least now, she still is among you. How long before she will see herself standing at a precipice, her fellow Faunus calling for her to act and afterwards I hear on the news that you have been found beheaded, Weiss?" Her voice bled with the anger that she felt.

"Your teammates may be confident... but when it really comes to that... Do you really trust a silly girl who abandoned you? One who might slip something in your drink and carry your body to some building and I have to wake to the message with a movie of my youngest daughter tortured and killed?" Her anger showed on her face, as did her pain. _'No...'_

Her breathing was a little heavier, the images flashing before her eyes, the flesh broken and bruised, marks on the skin showing clearly what had happened to the y- _'no, don't remember... drink some more... yes, it will dull the memories'_ She took a deep breath, another swig of the bottle which felt a lot lighter than it had been before.

Her daughter's eyes were wide, as they looked at her with surprise and shock in her eyes, then looked at Blake. "I... I wouldn't, I'm not like that." The narrowing of Willow's eyes was enough to make the girl take a step back. The blonde looked at Blake, her eyes looking faintly hurt. "Adam was..."

"Would you do it, if you still believed in their creed? Don't hide behind your ex-lover, only a coward would do that." Willow pressed, her voice colder than it had been. She could see the truth in those eyes, could see the burden that the girl had been carrying. It was the heaviest weight that she had seen.

"N-." The pause was there, as those eyes looked up at her. Willow felt cool, collected. Her glare did not lessen in the slightest. "Yes. I would. We've been oppressed for so long that..."

They took a little step back, all of them. The girl's bow quivered, as she looked at them. "I said no. Innocents would not be harmed... Just the guilty..." The defence was feeble, as they looked at her as if they were looking at a monster. The blonde girl seemed in disbelief, same as the red-cloaked girl. Her daughter understood though. _'The burden of ideology...'_

"Blake... You're not going to hurt us. I trust you." That smile on the girl's lips seemed to diffuse the situation. _'That smile won't do you any good against a dedicated mob...'_ She might be seen as jaded, yet...

" _This is what happens to you Schnee bastards!"_ _The look on the face of the woman, who she faintly recognised as a distant cousin, was battered and broken, the burn marks on the scalp looking gruesome, her father's face hardening as he took her hand. She had been only twenty-three, her husband having taken the reins, and still... The body glistened, even as the blades cut into the flesh, a squeal not unlike a pig squealing heard from the mouth of that distant cousin, as the blood gushed from the flesh, the pained expression enough, as a hunk of meat had been chopped off. "We've prepped her real good, just like you've prepped us for the slaughter."_

" _Dad..." She had gasped, watching as the men, wearing hoods to hide their face and masks to stop them from being identified, grabbed the woman's body, a sobbing squeal, even as they moved the camera with them. "This is what happens to you for hurting the Faunus people, Schnee."_

 _The gathering tray was still empty, the crushing blades and such inactive. The body laid there on the conveyor belt, the whirr of the metal starting up, the body giving a soft moaning sound, as it tried to move. A hand, half-amputated of its fingers, tried to stretch out, yet there was no strength in the body. The body tipped over and the grinder gave a whine before the crunching and mulching sound came._

 _She threw up afterwards. Cousin Whitney had been a Schnee in name, not in the blood, yet... she had been family. The ceremony had been quick, with an empty coffin._

Remembering that, she felt queasy, as she dashed away towards the bathroom that she'd spotted, just about tearing the door off its hinges as she found the closest toilet and threw up, the alcohol burning as it came back up, a shuddering groan coming from her lips at the sensation of her whole body rejecting the things that she had seen. _'Breath mints are a necessity afterwards...'_

She rejoined the girls about five minutes later, having done her makeup once more and taken three breath mints that were extra strong, her eyes a little muted. "I'm fine... Just... reminded of things."

She knew the best what had happened to the family after the company had been taken over by Jacques' lead. "It's okay, Miss Schnee... Everyone gets sick sometimes." The blonde girl looked at her with a look of sympathy, as the red-cloak said that to explain her gaffe... yet she cared not for it.

"Blake, we accept you how you are, just... Trust us, alright? No matter who our friends are..." The smile on the girl's lips was hopeful, just as it should be. _'Wait until you are married... You'll lose that smile.'_

"I... I'd like to apologize to you, Miss Schnee. I may have... been coarse and rough, and you have..." The words 'beaten you verbally like a crack whore during a drug bust' were not to be uttered. "Been-"

Willow held up a hand to forestall this halting conversation. "I've simply said what I needed to say. Whether you have ill intent towards my daughter or not, know that I have faith in my daughter to pick the friends that she needs." The hopeful tone to her voice was something that had unintentionally snuck in. _'The only person I can call 'friend' is the leader of the opposition... Fuck, you're a mess, Willow.'_

"Mama..."The soft tone of her daughter's voice made her smile. She leaned forwards, patting her daughter's shoulder. A full hug would not do, it was a certain appearance that she needed to cultivate.

"This is not the time and place to have these discussions." The hallway was deserted, yes, but that did not mean that clients could not overhear the words being spoken. Isolation aside, it would not be too out of the ordinary for people with some idea to wish to rummage around... But given the privacy levels at this clinic, it was reasonable for them to be relatively unheard. "We have a young man to visit, do we not?" She put a smile on her face, even as her daughter flushed. _'I guess there is a thing to be said about embarrassment for one's parent...'_

"Y-yes, we do." The red-cloak said, as she drew herself up. "We'll talk more about this later, guys…" The topic definitely was an uncomfortable one, Willow smiling at the girl for her sensible side. It was nice to see some flexibility in the youth of today.

"Jaune!" The red-cloak shouted at a volume that made her wince slightly, her eyes watching his expression carefully, for any sign of there to be a response that was more than friendship. "You're alright." _'Oh, I'd say he's more than alright… He's more than yummy…'_

She was prone to flights of fancy… and could totally see him in a tight set of swimming briefs, water glistening as it dropped down chiselled abs, his blue eyes meeting hers as she tugged the bikini to the side, letting herself be freed up. _'No fantasizing about the poor boy until you've given him a thorough inspection…'_

"Mister Arc." Her hand on her daughter's shoulder was for the comfort of her daughter, who seemed shaken, her own emotional response lagging behind slightly, as she let the young man behold her in her full majesty. That she was looking at him with eyes that shone with strength, wisdom and the generous amount of alcohol that she had already consumed, was beyond the point. It was to make an impression. Her daughter's gaze was wrapped up in looking at the young man.

"Ah, it's you." The casual address made her little snowflake blanch, her breath sharply exhaled.

"Have some respect for my mother. Mother, this young man is-" Willow shrugged, as her daughter started a monologue. Her eyes were placed on the young man's body, the wires that hooked him up to some of the apparatus around him still making sure that he would be perfectly in place…

"Oh, he's allowed to forego protocol. Right, Mister Arc?" She could not help herself from speaking so elegantly, as her gaze met his. Blue eyes met her own and the smile on her lips turned just a shade more radiant, if it was not already so. "With our… relation, it would be hard for mere formality to be in the way." She could feel her daughter stiffen slightly, as she looked up at her, like a scared little bird that wanted to get out of its gilded cage, yet could not. _'When I've had my way with him, Weiss… I'm going to make sure that you know that true freedom is achieved through breaking the bonds around you…'_

"Mother?" Her daughter's voice was small, as she knew that she garnered looks, a warm smile on her lips as she directed her gaze towards the sister.

"Willow Schnee, mother of this precious little snowflake." Her voice was elegant, as she brushed past the Faunus girl and extended a hand towards the woman who leaned against the wall, the calloused hand shaking hers in a swift motion.

"Vivian Arc, 's a pleasure… So what's this about your relationship with my little brother? You two fucking, or something?" The splutter from the bed Willow ignored, although she found it ADORABLE. _'Oh, the things I am going to DO to you, my little blonde man…'_

"VIVIAN! You don't ASK someone that so bluntly!" The blonde, Sappho or something, Willow had not really been listening very much to the woman, spoke, whilst Jaune seemed to choke on empty air, his face turning red.

Laughter came from her mouth, clear and without any baggage. There was no sign of the woman who would be offended by every little slight, as if the thought of her sleeping with the young man was merely some fanciful thing that was too ludicrous to entertain. "Oh, you think that I would be able to entertain a man like Mister Arc? My… what a bold statement."

Lesser families had been ruined for such slurs. She could see her daughter look nervous, the others looking like she'd just had dashed their hopes. "My… No, I do not think that I can see myself 'fucking', as you so eloquently put it, Mister Arc." _'I'd much rather DO the fucking, if I were to say so myself. Though I suppose some filmed footage might be considered 'hot'. Boys like to see their own job…'_

"But I did place a visit here beforehand to inform Mister Arc about the Schnee Dust Company's decision, as the wife of the CEO and daughter of Nicholas Schnee. We had quite a… chat, did we not, Mister Arc?" She smirked, rather shark-like if one had to be critical, as her eyes locked with his, her fingers tapping lightly on the bed.

"Y-yes, very interesting. Eh… Did you really have to tell me about fiscal liability?" The boy was grasping at straws, she knew… but she would humour him. It was all the game was good for between a man and a woman. Well… not a man yet. She would beat that silly little tiger pussy to THAT hurdle.

"Ah ah… Politeness, Mister Arc… A lady does not tell a young man so easily… But you may rest assured that the Schnee Dust Company will not be engaging in any legal battles with your family." The sigh of relief that the young woman with her adorable child made was enough, as Sappho grabbed the hand of the woman, mumbling something about the gods being good to them today. Really, was she that petty a woman to have some sort of…

Her stomach groaned, a pained grimace coming to her face. _'Not good… I knew that throwing up was going to hit me later…'_ The bottle was drowned once more, the pain in her stomach lessening slightly with the fluid filling it up. _'I should take something against the stomach acid…'_ She looked at the members of the Arc family, before moving out of the room, looking at her bodyguard. "Give me the stomach pills." She said, the man pulling out a small box with pills, readily made to deal with the stomach issues that binge-drinking often went along with.

She was in the room nearly five minutes later, watching an amusing rendition of the fight by the red-cloaked girl, whose tone was energetic and hyperactive. "And then Weiss was like 'No, you cretins are not going to steal our Dust!' and was like 'Wa-chowww, whaaaa foom!'." The explosion sound effects that she made were enough to draw a smile from Willow's lips.

"It wasn't like that… I sounded perfectly polite." Her little snowflake said, as she sounded offended that Ruby would be so crude as to say it like that. "There may have been… one or two words that were utterly un-lady-like, though." The nervous look that she gave the young man was enough for Willow to wonder whether there was something between the two of them.

"I've got ta apologize to you, it was rude for me to just assume…" The Arc woman said, Willow shaking her head. It mattered not to her.

"Water under the bridge, I wouldn't be able to live if I responded to everyone who calls me Dusty the Snow Queen." She knew only a few people who actually DID call her something so crude, but alas… One hardly controlled one's friends. Her gaze went to the girls who had come to visit Jaune, watching their microexpressions.

The Faunus girl was disinterested, mostly coming along out of curiosity and out of a hope to pry open the box of secrets that the young man had. The red-cloaked girl obviously was a fast friend, whilst the one with the large chest department and the blonde hair was giving him a cautious look, the look of mixed interest enough for him. "Jaune is going to be training with his team more, so as to prevent accidents from happening, right?"

The Arc sister with the Huntsman training spoke up, her voice sounding a little harsher than before. "We'll train with him!" The red-cloaked girl said, even as the blonde girl seemed to find the time to plaster a grin on her face.

"I'm going to ride you into the ground, Blondie!" A pause was given, as the members of her team looked at her, their mouths opening, the red-cloak turning red, her daughter and the Faunus joining them. Even Jaune, who was usually less affected by her own brand of seduction, turned slightly red.

"Oh my…" Willow's voice interrupted the moment. "And you were wondering whether I had some relation with the boy… It seems that Miss Blonde here seems to have her own designs on the poor young man's chastity…" Her words only pounded home the truth, even as a dark emotion inside her filled her. _'Who do you think you are, titsy? Just a bit of a blonde dash of tits and attitude? Can you sate his urges?'_

"H-hey! I just mean… training. You know, weights… get a bit of muscle on that body? He looks like a wimp!" The look on the young man's face seemed to fall, not that blondie seemed to notice. The Arc sisters certainly did, and they watched with concern. "I'm going to beat the basics into you, Arc."

"I… I guess I need to." The admission was not as confident as it could be, the knowledge of one's own failing no doubt bringing with it a feeling of despair. Willow knew that feeling well, knowing well that the precipice that she often stood on the edge of was but an edge that was honed by her experiences.

"You… dolt, I will personally teach you how to use Dust. A Schnee does not do things half-way!" Weiss added her two cents, which seemed to perk the young man up. "I will make sure that you are at least up to the Schnee Dust Company standard… and I will pay for the Dust out of my own pocket." _'Daring… but kind.'_ Her daughter was a decent person, even if her cheeks were inordinately red. Winter had more of a blush when she grew angry, the temper tantrums never being much of an issue.

"I'll make some improvements to your weapon… Maybe a sniper barrel?" The red-cloak said, as she looked at him, a wavering smile on her lips. "Ooh, we can fit a laser on it too! Pew pew pew!" The look of embarrassment on the young man's face just stroked her fancy, as she watched him look down, his cheeks flushing.

"Gee guys, I don't know what to say…"The hopes of the team seemed to be well-founded, as the girls looked at each other. "Eh, it's nearly ten though…" He looked at the clock, Willow's gaze following his.

"It's time for the visitors to depart. Please, follow after me." The nurse that asked for them to follow them was enough to divert the attention. "Family is allowed to take an extra fifteen minutes, but please… Do realize the time." Willow smiled faintly, as she knew that there would be more time in the future.

"Mister Arc, I will return tomorrow at my earliest convenience." That meant that she'd probably get to him after the hang-over was simmered down to moderate and Sienna had woken up, if they'd decided to not leave the little drinking hole that they had.

As she and Weiss stepped into the car that waited for them, her daughter's eyes caught her. "Mother…" The tone of her voice was soft, even as her cheeks turned red. "Can I ask a question?"

She was tempted to say no, yet the time that she spent with her daughter was often precious, so her attention went to her daughter, as she nodded, fetching herself a cup of Vacuan Reserve. Pouring it into the glass, she let it roll slightly, before tipping it back. _'Alcohol soothes all hurts… yep.'_

"If you… If you had to talk to a bo-, no, to a young man and… Inquire about his availability for courtship… How would you go about it?" The liquor glass in her hand dropped, as she looked at her daughter, unaware that the alcohol was already seeping into her outfit and that she'd smell like it until she'd had a shower. _'You've got to be fucking kidding me…'_

"I-Is it mister Arc?" She asked, her voice sounding more like a moan, the glass that'd fallen into her lap still containing some of the liquor, the gaffe something that happened on occasion, her hand grabbing the glass by its bottom, cradling it, even though it was empty. _'Please be some other foolish idiot who might've been brutish enough to catch her attention…'_

"It is…" Her daughter said, as she turned her gaze away. "He treated me… well, badly. He thought that I was some sort of weird pervert at first, really tearing into me. It felt… kind of awkward. Here I was at Beacon, with a young man just ripping into me like I was mere meat upon the chopping table." Willow suppressed a moan. _'No, no, NO… Not my daughter too…'_

"And then, when he just looked at me, I just felt…" Her daughter's cheeks flushed even redder. "But he's a dork, he's bad at fighting, but that moment when he fixed me with that look…" She could see the shudder go through her daughter, even as her own body felt the horror of this situation sink in. _'I must've been doing something wrong in my life if my daughter gets to steal my boy-toy away from me…'_

"It just felt… right. I felt small and he was there, just… indomitable. There." Willow could imagine how that felt. It had been her, only months previous, baring her whole heart to the young man, attempting to seduce him with her body… but he would NOT give in to his lusts. "He tries, even though he doesn't know much. All the education that I had…"

She could see that there were tears welling up from her daughter's eyes. "The others, they think he's pretty hot too. That attitude, mother… I fear that I will walk in to see him kissing another of my teammates and then know that I will bleed inside my heart." The hopes and fears of a young woman experiencing her first love were something that she could relate to. _'Not my fucking daughter, oh gods… this is so fucking wrong.'_

She knew that she could put a stop to it with a word, yet her own sense of being a mother told her that it would be right for her to continue and to shelf all such fancies of trying to get with the young man… but the selfish part inside her told her that she had EARNED something a little better than the man who she had married, the man who signed off every decision for the company and whose dick had not been inside her. _'If I am going to cheat on that bastard, I better do it fucking RIGHT and make sure that I am HAPPY with the man that I chose… Weiss, sorry… but mother is not going to give up HER stake in that young man.'_

"What should I do, mama?" Her daughter's tender words were enough, as she remembered some of the words that Jaune had said before. _'Be there for your children.'_ The smile on her face was warmer, as she drew her daughter close, the shock and shudder and stiffening of Weiss noticed, yet ignored.

"Whatever you have to, Weiss… If he does not like you like that, please… Know that it is hard to let go." The devious side to her mind told her that this was wrong, yet the side of her that was a mother clearly did not wish to have anything else be said, to support her daughter in her first love.

"And if he likes someone else… Support him. That's the best thing you can do. Marry for love, yet do not force it… Don't do what I did." The admission was harder to make. Jacques had given her the feeling that he loved her… and had failed utterly. _'I should have divorced him immediately afterwards…'_

"Mama?" Her little snowflake's voice sounded brittle, even as she hugged her daughter closer. A ringing of the scroll came, and she could see the caller ID. She pushed the call aside, cutting the connection, tapping a quick – **'Will call you back. Daughter crisis.'** – to the Faunus woman, who no doubt was wondering where she was.

"Everything will be okay, sweetheart… No matter what, Mama will make sure that you are happy." _'I feel like such a hypocrite now…'_ The thought of claiming the young man was still inside her mind, even as she stroked her daughter's hair, the car pulling up to the airship docks, ready to let her daughter off.

"I love you, my little snowflake. You are my youngest daughter… and I know that things are hard, but if you really love someone… You would walk through a mile of frozen tundra with no boots." She tried to inspire hope in her daughter, whose smile was soft and warm.

"I love you, mama." The words were simple. Just four words that had to be spoken by her daughter, yet the emotions welled up inside her, as the tears came from her eyes. "I love you too, Weiss. I am so proud of you." She knew that this was a weakness, but she knew also that the words could not be forced.

Whatever rift had been between her and her daughter, it seemed to have been filled with the regret and the fears of before…

She only got to Sienna nearly an hour later, after spending nearly thirty minutes hugging her daughter, whose need for comfort seemed to be the greatest. Her team took only one look at Weiss to usher her off, saying something about 'cheering'.

* * *

Jaune's eyes went to his sister, as she looked at him. "What?" he responded to the question, Vivian giving a grin.

"So… Which of the girls that visited you has the nicest body?" The question was just like her, blunt and without any filter. Saphron seemed to find it ill-pleasing, a look given to her older sister that this was not an okay question to ask. "Pyrrha with that nice set up front, or that blonde girl with the spunky attitude? Or are you more a fan of the petite kind, like that girl who was wearing the red cloak? Or little Schnee-clone?"

It wasn't that the girls were not pretty, but rather that they should not have an interest in him. He was just Jaune Arc, trying to be a Huntsman. Not some special guy that they should give their all to love…

When it came to love, only one face came to his mind right now. Sienna's face, full of love for her people, her eyes determined and gazing towards the future. A gaze that he had met and which had beguiled him. _'Sienna is just perfect for me, but Willow has some of the best tits that I've ever seen. If I had to compare the two, Sienna's just nice with a handful and Willow's got those lovely round globes that just seem to be ready to bounce out with a bit of zest to them.'_

He did notice the sudden silence that fell, as his sister and her wife stared at him, Vivian's mouth half-opened, their faces looking at him for a moment. "Wo... Would you care to repeat that, Jaune? I… I don't think I heard that right."

Hearing Vivian speak with some hesitation, he frowned. _'Was it something I said?'_ "Did I say that out loud?" Saphron gave a little nod, her mouth still not working properly.

"S-so… eh… You like your women a little older…" The soft laugh was a near-nervous giggle, as Vivian's eyes darted everywhere. "Th-that's fine… I guess. But…"

"Did you really see Miss Schnee's chest?" Saphron said, her voice soft. "Like…"

"Oh, yes." He said, Terra turning slightly paler than she already was, sharing a look with him. "Why are you all so afraid?"

He didn't quite get it. She was a married woman, yes… She had children, yes. Sienna was still single, as far as he knew, and the way that Willow and Sienna went about their interaction with him was different, but they still were women who were focused on their day job just as much as they were with him.

"Jaune… Just who do you think Sienna Khan is… and who do you think Willow Schnee is?" Terra pressed, her hands rubbing the bridge of her nose, her glasses pushed up slightly. The serious expression on her face was starting to make him feel a little uncomfortable.

"A Faunus and the wife of the Schnee Dust Company's CEO? The White Fang isn't that bad, they've got a bit of a bad reputation…" The look on Terra's face was enough to stop him from speaking. "Come on, she's just passionate. Mister and Misses Belladonna trust her!"

"She has been accused of several acts of terrorism, Jaune! Willow Schnee is her mortal enemy!" The look on Terra's face was fierce, as Saphron laid a hand on her shoulder. "What will this do to our careers? You better make sure that she NEVER finds out that you've thought about her in such a way… Oh gods, what if she would be listening in right now? My career is ruined, we would have to move from Argus."

' _It's not likely that she would do such a thing.'_ He knew Willow well enough to say that she was like Weiss, yet less bound by social etiquette, undoubtedly due to her status. "She's not that bad. When she gets thoroughly shit-faced drunk, she gets grabby, but that's just until she sobers up." Terra froze, her eyes going wide.

"You've been in contact with her before?!" The woman hissed, as Saphron looked at him, frowning.

"Jaune…" She said, and he shook his head.

"I gave her the Viv treatment. Got her straight to bed and when she started to break down, just held her and let her wear herself out." The pale faces did not look comfortable with that. "What? She tried to offer me enough Lien for a lifetime without worries, but I was not going to let a drunken woman regret it in the morning. You've raised me better than that!"

"Over… My career is over… I'll have to work as a janitor, if the Schnee Dust Company blacklists me…" The moans of agony from Terra seemed real. Vivian was looking at him as if he were some exotic creature, the hip flash at her side raised and then drained.

"Fuck, Jaune… You're lucky that you've not been saddled with a lawsuit. The Schnees are fierce when it comes to that." He could believe it. _'Willow has been rather daring and handsy…'_

"She's not that bad. Lonely, yes… But not that bad. She's got a lot of love for her family and said that she'd help me out if it was ever needed. Sienna was the reason why we met, actually." The looks of his family members, save Adrian, did not change much. There was that hollow look in their eyes.

"Please tell me that you've not done something colossally stupid to the leader of the White Fang, Jaune…" Terra said, her eyes locked with him.

"No. I just taught her how to dance." That his sisters heaved a sigh of relief was just that. Sienna wasn't some depraved creature out to slake her own lusts! That was Willow's little gig! Sienna was as chaste and pure as a snowstorm!

"She's the one who got me introduced to Adam. He's a really nice guy, if he isn't riled up by his issues." The hopes of the young man had been dashed due to that brand that he had gotten, Terra sighing.

"You know what… You can figure this stuff out. You Arcs are a weird bunch… and I married one." Saphron giggled, kissing her wife on the cheek.

"It was fun these few weeks, wasn't it? Mother always cooking extra for Adrian to enjoy, even though he isn't able to have any adult foods." Terra smiled, as her wife said so.

"But you… You need to watch out! Always wear a condom, especially with that cat!" That Vivian would be so crass as to caution him to wear a condom was expected.

"I know. I always keep some in my wallet, just in case…" They had practically foisted them on him, stating that they had 'no intention to become aunts just yet'. Saphron, who had been one of the loudest, had been the first to get a child, though.

"Make sure that you RECORD them. Consent laws are a thing and you would be easy meat with your age. If she makes a case against you…" He wasn't sure whether Terra was talking about Willow or Sienna.

A ringing sound came from his scroll, as a call was received. "Good… eh, evening?" The face of Sienna appeared, a flush on her cheeks.

"Your ass is mine, Arc. I am going to make you feel like a fresh recruit getting that ass grinded right into shape!" The alcohol in her hand was downed once more, the flush on her cheeks red, her eyes locked with his own depiction on the screen, the video call having been accepted without a hitch.

"Of course, of course." The woman snorted.

"You hear me, Arc? That candy ass is mine, I won't be letting another lay a hand on it." She was undoubtedly protective of her own skillset, as she said it like that. It wasn't like this was a declaration of love, right? Sienna knew better than that.

"I'll eh… be there?" The nod from Sienna was enough. "Damn straight. I've got some idiots already lined up for you to fight, so your little bitch ass won't be hurt anymore. I don't like my men with scars, you idiot." The woman obviously was at the very least tipsy, as she swayed slightly, the scroll dropping out of her hand, revealing a set of high heels, the same that she had worn during the day.

"Good boy. We'll make you a good stud-muffin yet." The nod of the Faunus was enough, as the Scroll was raised and he caught a momentary flash of a bra, the woman's top having landed somewhere else, as Sienna giggled.

"Yeah… I'll eat you up like a muffin, Jaune." The call disconnected at that moment, and Jaune merely stared. His sisters stared at him as well, Terra's mouth half-opened.

"I guess she's going to train me really hard." The facepalming that his eldest sister did made him frown. "What?"

"Seriously Jaune… You can be so dense sometimes…" Saphron said as she got up, adjusting Adrian in her arms slightly. "Sleep well, Jaune. Don't let the wet dreams bother you too much." She smiled, Jaune flushing.

"That was ONCE! ONCE! You can't use that against me!" Saphron laughed, shaking her head.

"Sure thing, little brother… Sure thing." The look on her face made him wonder whether she was thinking about something, but Terra nudged her slightly. "We should put Adrian to bed, get a bit of a drink. Vivian, are you coming as well?"

"As long as you don't try to ask me whether I'll be your wife again." Vivian said, Jaune wondering about that, as Terra coloured slightly.

"It runs in the family, or so I heard… Dark skinned girls are irresistible to the Arcs." Saphron added, a teasing look given to him. "Don't have those dreams, Jaune… Kitties aren't good partners."

"Aww man… She's never going to give up now." As they left, Vivian was the last to leave, giving him a look that said 'You're on your own'.

He would find a few images in his message folder later that were rather risqué in nature, courtesy of Sienna, who had thought to 'incentivize' his recovery. It was really hot though.

* * *

 **Another chapter done, and it's good too! Next one is Jaune's release from hospital! Will team RWBY (sans Blake) admit their feelings? Will Willow strike against her boy-toy being claimed by her own daughter? Is Sienna going to be his prime wife?**

 **Find out in the next chapter... Oh, and do leave a review! It's always nice to see reviews pop up!**


	16. Temporary halt

**Chapter sixteen: Temporary halt**

 **A lot of people are asking me 'Will this be a harem?' and I'll have to disappoint you with a 'Not likely.' A lot of the girls have gotten a crush on Jaune. Why? Well, Sienna just pounds home the 'tough chick' attitude, and he's picked up a few tips and tricks from her through sheer ambience. Willow herself is a beast in elegant form. She's one of the most powerful women in Remnant and the 'slow approach' that she currently takes is new territory. Harem is out. Four people in a relationship? Eh… Doable.**

 **I'll ask, just out of interest – Who would you like to see also paired up with Jaune, if you could select anyone aside from Sienna (That ship is definitely sailing.)?**

* * *

The door opened easily, her face schooled in an expression of 'I am going to royally beat your ass like my Faunus stepson', as she laid eyes on two people, one still mostly dressed, yet with the other on the bed, looking at this moment like the proverbial deer Faunus caught in the searchlights.

That Adam Taurus was quite a handsome man, aside from the disfigurement, was a known fact to her. That he was convinced of his beliefs and only showed some change now that Jaune had entered his life, was something that she could accept. Seeing the nurse flush, her half-squeak half-scream muted due to the isolation worked into the room, and Adam hurriedly pulling her up and off, giving her a perfect image of things that she had no right or desire to really see, was something that brought a minor spark of amusement, even though it was outside of visiting hours.

"I see that you've been engaging in dialogue with the humans, Adam." Her voice was frosty, as she looked at his face, turning redder every second, the nurse fixing herself up a little, the shorts pulled on half-way.

"I…" He didn't look the imposing man that he usually was, as he had literally been walked in on whilst the nurse had been 'collecting semen samples through natural ways'.

"You at least used a condom. That is good." Her voice was frosty still, as he fixed himself a little, the nurse beating a very hasty retreat with an 'I will leave you two be, to talk important stuff, bye Adam!'. "Professional, however… it is not." The admonishment was something that she did not really have a desire to do, even as she sat herself down on the bed, the smell invading her nostrils and her nose crinkling slightly, her eyes carrying the irritation of her own situation in them.

"I apologize. I wasn't aware that you would be visiting." The look on her face must be terrifying to him, as he floundered, clearing her throat as she decided to shift the subject. "Are you serious about that girl?" She asked, and then halted. _'Different subject, not on how good he's at being some horny bull, giving girls his special meat infusion.'_

"She's different from the others… She understands me, even better than Blake would." Sienna guessed that that was a different twist on his usual obsession, even as she sighed deeply.

"You're going to be released in a few days and I want you to handle some of the things with the… people who came." The term for the irregulars who had co-opted some of the White Fang for the interaction with Roman Torchwick was something between the two of them. Any listening devices would be unable to glean the meaning of her words.

The research into the happenings at the dock painted a grimmer picture than she would like. Had she not been injured after the ball, she would have been in Mistral, undoubtedly remembering Jaune fondly, yet not as busy with the White Fang's happenings in Vale. Adam was not someone who could see the long-term effects of certain things, which was more than enough to spell doom for the organization in this Kingdom.

"They are a peculiar lot." The terms thrown around were enough to make her suspicious, so she had snuck a few infiltrators into the ranks. Those who believed her mission and were yet smooth enough to be able to fit in. The picture that was painted was something grimmer than she had figured. Torchwick had his hands on a LOT of Dust. Enough to blow half of the city sky-high… let alone the damage that he could do to the wall, if he were malignant enough.

"Give them a warm reception. Their own invitation was enough to put me in a bad spot for a while." That was a kill order, clean and simple. The White Fang was a lot of things, even if the protests for Faunus equality were usually devolving into violence, but she was not going to be party to the brutal death of people. It struck too close to home.

"Make sure that you confess to Jaune." Adam changed topics suddenly, her cheeks flushing, as she looked at him, her eyes narrowed. "He's a good guy."

"I know that." She hissed at Adam, whose eyes looked a little forlorn. "Why are you telling me this? It would hardly work out." She knew that she was treading on a minefield here, even though he had cut the topic himself.

' _It's not fair… The first guy I happen to find hot just so happens to be a human…'_ She was no prude, yet she knew well that some hardliners would see it as treacherous. Faunus should remain pure from human interference… and yet, here she was, liking the company of a human. "If he dies…" Adam warned.

' _No, that will not happen.'_ She was going to make sure that it didn't happen. The place had already been prepared, the length of Dust-chain that she preferred to wield in her younger years prepped once more for combat. She was going to train his skinny little ass into the ground, even if she had to make him bleed. "I won't let that happen." She said, her voice darker than she intended. Weakness was to be expected, when one was growing up. She was not going to let things get to that point…

Of course, he would have to mention the feelings that she had for the young blonde. The man himself, dallying with humans… and her own affectations for the young man. Drinking to excess with Willow each night might have made for a bad habit, yet she could not quite quit. She knew that she would not be doing Jaune a service if she continued, but…

"You won't. You're Sienna Khan. You're the defender of the White Fang." The words of faith that he spoke were right from the heart, as he thought them to be true. He cared for the cause, more than many others would.

"That doesn't mean that I should shack up with a human." She said, Adam's head shaking slowly. "You can do what you want… You can love whoever you want." There was envy in her tone, as she looked at him. It was the difficulty of dating once you were at the top.

"So can you. You're not written off as a woman yet, Sienna." Adam's words made sense, yet she felt trepidation either way, knowing that the relationships between humans and Faunus often stranded upon the communication factor. Faunus had different aesthetics and needs than humans… and she had not even realized that she had already started to count Jaune as some sort of object that belonged to her up until this moment.

"No, that's what'll happen when I step down."She said, her voice soft. "I've got to visit Jaune. I was going to run him through the gauntlet." The pause that she gave, as she looked at him. "How's Beonan doing?" She inquired, Adam shrugging.

"Working with his chainsaw or something?" The man guessed. Sienna allowed him his peace, as she strode out of the room, coming to see the nurse standing at the end of the hallway, giving a faint smile as she left. _'No doubt to get her shot of red bull again… Humans are so randy.'_

She would not deny that she herself had some strange dreams at times. Last night alone, she had the dream of doing a little bit of night-time visitation to the blonde human, the outfit a little too tight and the buttons a bit undone. Her flaunting of her assets had been met with appreciative eyes and it had been… enthusiastically received, even though she woke to find Willow Schnee curling up against her, drool dripping onto the shirt that she wore. _'We have to start working on actually getting a bed set up for her, if this mutual frenemy relationship is going to continue.'_

Opening the door without any real issue, she came to see Jaune's face turn to her, his cheeks heating up, as they often did. It was an adorable little sight, enough for her to realize that he had indeed seen the pictures that she had sent, with enough encouragement already, stalking forward and then laying a hand on his shoulder. The bodyguards outside were already doing their job, so it was an easy fix. "Jaune." Her voice was less strict, as there was nobody else around.

He swallowed, his gaze looking down. She could smell the blend of pheromones on his skin, see the blonde hair look a little tousled, the sweat on his skin having a peculiar odour, not distasteful in the slightest, only more… manly, she supposed. She barely noticed that she had scooted up a little, her finger tracing over his cheek and then going to his lips. "Sienna." He responded, even as her eyes locked with his own.

Blue eyes… A bane to her heart, even as they peered into her own orange ones, a low rumble coming from deep in her throat, as she began to feel the warmth settle inside her. Throbbing sensations worked their way throughout her body, as her eyes glinted, the faint hint of things yet to come shimmering in his eyes, even as she struggled with the urge to just kiss the human, the consequences be damned.

' _Kali would cheer this on…_ ' Her lips parted, as she exhaled, her gaze locked with his, before she leaned forwards, delivering a kiss to his lips, which was something that seemed to only pound home the feelings inside her. The electrifying touch, as her lips pressed against his own, those eyes wide, as she locked with them, the deeper inhales, a blend of pheromones just hitting her right in that pleasure spot, as her hands ran through his hair. "You're not going to do stupid stuff again." She said, her voice a sultry purring whisper, as her lips broke the kiss, his own breath escaping, a helpless look in those eyes… A look that she did not quite enjoy, for some strange reason.

It was not in his nature to look like a bird with a snapped wing, like prey…

Her tongue lapped over her lips as she swallowed audibly, the feeling of something going wrong once more hitting her, even with the complications that happened, her whole body feeling jittery, as those eyes looked at her. "Willow said the same."

' _Who the fuck cares what Willow says?'_ Her mind rationed, as her lips pressed against his own again. The kiss was noticeably shorter, even as she could feel the desire race through her body. _'I will fuck this boy right here and now if I don't get a hold on myself.'_ She did not have a condom on her. She was not going to be getting any progress done on that front, yet his heavy breathing remained still.

"Fuck what she says." Her voice was strict, even as she righted herself. "You're mine, bitch boy." Her voice was strict, as she looked at him, the emotions of distaste and displeasure not felt anymore. It was a startling change, even as his cheeks were flushed. "And well… How's that kiss, huh? Better than hers?"

He looked uncertain, as he watched her with eyes. "Are you… drunk?"

' _Just two bottles. Nothing much.'_ "What?" Her voice was a little higher than before, her anger blazing in her eyes.

"Because I could swear that you… You like me?" He sounded hesitant. Her heart leapt. This was what she had been waiting for, the realization. Men could be dense… but this was okay. She would tell the truth.

"Who would want to love a human teenager, huh? Do you REALLY think that you've got what it takes to be my lover?" Her mouth said words that did not match up with her mind, and she could see the hurt in those eyes, even as she continued on, like a red bull savagely performing ceramic evisceration. "You need to be strong. You need to be the best. You need to be a real beast of a man."

Qualities that she valued, under other circumstances. His eyes looked down, as he whispered – "Yeah, and I'm neither of those… I'm just stupid, poorly trained Jaune Arc." -, her eyes blazing.

"I'm going to make you a bit less of a whiny bitch." _'Do I have to sabotage myself like this all the time?'_ She thought, even as she continued, despite her mind willing her to say the words that she really wanted to say. "White Fang headquarters, tomorrow at nine. I've cleared my schedule, so get your ass down there, human."

' _You just fucking cockblocked yourself, Sienna. You should've said 'Yes, I want to feel your prick slam right against my cervix, you cute as fuck little bitch', but nooo… You had to make the spiel about a man who can treat you right.'_ He looked pensive, even as he nodded. "I'll be there… I guess."

The human had a lack of confidence. "You will. Even if I have to pick you up like a takeout box." The words were clumsy, as she was not quite used to the flirting game… or pretty much any social conversation. She was more suited for the tough talks, of the talks that involved sending someone to rough someone up. She held a function that dealt with raw martial strength, dispensed in the most efficient of ways. Not the type where a pretty boy like him would be eaten like raw fish and then spat out as sushi.

' _She's going to take him from you. Willow Schnee has more tact than you do.'_ Her glance down for a moment confirmed that, at the very least, she was two cup sizes smaller than the woman. She was not someone who took too much pride in her appearance, yet there was the odd moment of vanity. _'D-cup tits or no, even at a low C I can STILL find myself a good moment to get this young man.'_

The comparison of breast sizes had been incidental, though Sienna had found that Willow's were much easier to do shots from than anything else. It was perhaps their roundness, or the fact that they had grown from nursing three children. "I'll be there, Sienna." He said, his voice sounding defeated.

She gave him another kiss on the cheek. _'That's the best I can do, after that stinger… Oof, sometimes I wonder whether someone's taking control over my mouth at times when I should just be honest…'_ "I'm going to make you stronger. You won't be getting hurt after you've gone up against some of the guys that I've got ready for you."

Adam was too lethal, as were some of the others. Those who focused on the lesser aspects would make the perfect training partners, their schedule already cleared perfectly for that time. _'Now…'_

She ran her hands through his hair again, her expression barely shifting from the look of strictness. "You'll be fine." She tried to go for the comforting words of hope. "It won't be too rough on you."

She put a smile on her face, her head angled a little to the left. "But…" She patted on his shoulder. Her lower body made signs of accepting it already. _'Fuck, you're like a cat in heat…'_ "If you become a man, I'll think about it, alright?"

That was as close a compromise that she could voice, not after that massive blunder of before. She felt confused, lost… perhaps a bit awkward. "I caught Adam having sex."

' _Why the hell did I say that? Oh gods, he is going to think of me as weird. Well, weirder than before.'_ Jaune's face showed surprise, before he seemingly understood. "Oh, so he's finally made the plunge and got with Amanda!"

' _He made the plunge alright…'_ She thought, even as she blinked. _'Wait, am I so out of touch with the dating scene that I can barely think about…'_ "You knew?" Her voice was threatening, Jaune's facial expression changing slightly.

"Yeah… He's been pretty vocal about how she 'got him' and 'understands him'… So I don't know what's wrong with that, but he still is under treatment, so…" Sienna sighed, getting a little further on the bed. "What?"

"You're an idiot." She said, shaking her head, a grin on her face, even as she ruffled his hair, her tongue sliding over her lips. "But I guess you will need to be house-trained before." The look in her eyes shifted. "Tomorrow, remember the time. Be ready to hurt."

She got off the bed, realizing that she had once more sent mixed signals to him… and decided that it would be time for some stiff liquor on the trip back. Liquor always made things easier, especially now that she'd have some meetings to attend to.

* * *

Understanding Sienna was an effort. He wasn't sure whether she was genuinely interested or was just messing with him in some cruel and twisted manner that only she knew. Opening his Scroll up and spotting the message from Kali, sent nearly thirteen hours ago, he tapped a swift response.

' **Sienna just kissed me on the lips. Not sure how to feel about that, as she said that she liked men who could act like beasts or something… You make no sense.'** The woman did make some sense. Some of the tips that she had given him were downright handy when you were managing a household, though some of the instructional videos that she had sent had put a blush on his face.

' _The one about how to use a condom properly was embarrassing, but the Ninja's of Love Live-Action one… oof.'_ He had not been ashamed after he'd 'relieved the pressure' after that. It was awkward, yet something about Mistralian girls just hit a certain snare with him. It might just be their features, yet… he definitely thought they were pretty. Sienna was Mistralian as well, it spoke through her accent and the slight tint to her features, which was something that was only enhanced through the way that her tattoos accentuated her body.

"So, fun little message from your Faunus friend?" Vivian's voice sounded near his ear, even as he looked at her, nearly dropping the Scroll in his lap. "Ooh, lipstick… You got kissed! Was it that Khan lady?" He blushed, knowing that Vivian wouldn't let this go easily. He supposed that Saphron and Terra might just be off to mom's house for the day, so it was just Vivian who was there with him.

"She was just… concerned. She likes her men a little bit… manlier, though, when I asked." The look on Sienna's face had been imperious, as if she were some higher life-form (which he could believe), who looked down on him. His fingers touched against his lips, tracing over them softly.

"It was just a light kiss." Not at all like some of the kisses that he had read about, where his head would be seized and she'd do some terrible things to him. _'Kali's choice in literature is really something…'_

"Suuuure. Condom, or else you'll be having a litter of kittens. She looks like a fierce lady." The taste of alcohol on her lips had not faded much, and he felt a little odd, knowing that she'd been a bit inebriated. _'Was that just something out of the heart, or was it an impulsive action?'_

He doubted that. There were other reasons for it, surely.

The next morning, he felt like it might have been a bad decision for him to take Sienna's urging to show up, the tall man who stood opposite of him looking like he'd have some sort of giant heritage if the bear ears did not clearly show that he belonged to the Faunus, the massive arms hairy and ready, the large shovel-sized hands that went clad in a set of red gloves already something that looked like it'd pose a threat to his continued existence as a free and uninjured human. He could feel the anticipation go through him, even as Sienna's voice spoke the word that whirled the world into action. "Begin."

He found himself flying through the air a moment later, the man's movements faster than he had anticipated, his strike dodged and the man's hand grabbing a hold of him. He was then thrown, landing on one of the mats that had been put up for that purpose solely."You try again, human." The man's voice was like a bear, rolling off his tongue. Jaune got up slowly.

"Leader Khan wishes to see you improve, so Viktor improve you. Red Hurricane will teach human skills." The man, identified as Viktor now, was clearly someone who had some skill in the art of fighting, as well as Aura. "You stand wrong. Legs solid, like mountain. You not last one second against Khan." The man indicated Sienna, who wore something that was a little different than the business suit that she usually wore, her figure outlined well. "I show. High Leader Khan, we fight."

Sienna stepped into the space that had been cleared, her fingers letting go of the handle of the Dust-whip that she had ever since this morning. Watching the preparation of the woman, it was a radical change. The body language shifted, her stance taken to what seemed to be more an animal about to pounce, her leg muscles tensing slightly, and those eyes turning deadly.

"B-begin?" He called, and he watched Sienna _move_. Her body flashed into action, the large bear of a man moving with a slowness of his limb that was witnessed. Her feet lashed out, a perfect roundhouse kick nicking the nose, her foot angling back, as she pushed outward with her hands, right into the man's gut, her face shining with that killer instinct that seemed to be lurking below the surface.

The man budged slightly, his arms trying to strike at Sienna, but the woman nimbly moved back, her feet pushing her back, lightly bouncing on the tips of her shoes, before she lashed out with another kick, the man dodging the strike. "It is important when facing someone, to look at them as a project." Sienna's voice was calm, even as her body whirled, the other foot shooting up, her hands supporting her as she let three swift strikes with her legs and feet hit, before straightening out.

The bear of a man was able to block them, though the force that was behind the blows no doubt was enough to make more normal people wonder. "People are easy to destroy." The words were cold, as Sienna righted herself once more, her body lashing out with a fist. Viktor stiffened, even as his family jewels received another firm hit.

"Nothing is out of the book. When you stand victorious, you will have won. They are nothing but obstacles that you have to climb over." Her eyes met his, even as she leapt, her knee hitting Viktor's chin, the man falling forward, Sienna dancing out of the way in an instant. A foot was placed on the man's back, even as blood started to form a small puddle. _'Is he alright?'_

"You dominate." Her eyes blazed with that strength, even as Viktor moaned lightly, her foot giving a little stomp down. "Drive them to the ground and show no mercy." The words were efficient, cool and with that deadly edge that made him feel like he'd been doused in ice-water, as those eyes met with his.

"Get him out of here and to the medics. I might have broken his jaw again." The thought of Sienna being capable of doing that both excited as well as scared him. She looked so small… but her body, her whole physique, was more streamlined for battle. Adam was muscular below the suit, he knew that well enough from the few times that he'd visited him in his room, yet Sienna…

"Tallow, you're up next. Teach him how to play." She stepped aside, his eyes lingering a little too long on that ass. The man who took the spot of Viktor had short brown hair, a set of deer antler proudly growing out of his skull.

"I don't like you, yet the High Leader orders it." The tone of the man was enough for him to feel a shred of fear, even as he took a stance, having not the confidence to fight really swiftly. The man's blade was dulled for the exercise purpose, yet the man wielded it. "Fight with dedication. With strength. No mercy to those who stand in your path."

The man's body moved, and the wooden shield blocked the strike, even as he slashed with his sword, the man's eyes watching him dispassionately as he dodged the strike, the blade batting his own away. "Stand straighter. The knees are there to offer some support, yet you will be unbalanced if you bend them too much. A straighter slash will be easier to achieve when you make sure to put your arm into it."

Nine hours later, he stood under the shower, realizing that today had been some progress on the road towards becoming a Huntsman. He felt sore all over his body, even as the hot spray hit his body. His ears could pick up the sounds of conversation, the shower stall attached to the training room. "High Leader, with all due respect… Why?"

It was one of the other people that he had been pitted against, a young-looking rabbit Faunus with one of the most adorable noses that he'd ever seen, though her machete clearly made her look even more fierce. "We owe him a favour." The words came so stridently out of Sienna's mouth that he could believe it. _'All this for a mere favour?'_

"You spend your evenings with the Schnee, leaving us to manage the flock. People are talking, High Leader… And now, a human. Training a _human!_ You are not the Sienna Khan that I look up to." The words were cutting, even as he realized that there was indeed something about him… something that they would never accept. His humanity.

"What I choose to do is not up to you to approve or disapprove of. Willow Schnee is being shown a different side of us." The words sounded like an excuse to him, to which the other people seemed to clue in on.

"Bullshit, Sienna. If Adam was here, he would be telling you to cut all ties as well. The Schnee hurt our kind! We still are oppressed in the mines! Why do we spend time teaching one of those humans to be better?" The speaker he didn't quite recognize based on their voice, yet he was sure that it was one of the ones who had decked him and laid him out for a while.

"Yeah! Just because you show weakness, it does no-" The sound of someone being interrupted in their speech as they spoke was loud, even as a body hit the floor. "You… you hit me."

"If you have a problem with the way that I lead the White Fang, bring it." Her voice was deadly, devoid of any sort of sultry tone or seduction, just mere raw anger, as the sound of something fizzling was audible. "Bring it, you bastards."

The sounds of combat continued, even as he turned the shower off, listening to the sound of thumps, the flesh being hit and bodies hitting the ground, even as he began to dress once more, opening the door when there was only silence of other voices and moaning of injured people, Sienna standing there in the middle of the room, the hurt forms of those around her still laying where they lay.

"A bit of a disagreement that had to be corrected, human." Her voice was cool, collected, as she looked at him. The look was judging, even as she strode forward. The white set of pants that she wore had been dyed red by splatters of blood, the smell of blood and sweat in the air, her eyes burning with an intensity that made him feel extremely happy that he was not getting himself beat up by her.

"Next time…" Her gaze went to those who had fallen to her hands. "They'll make sure that you've got a better grasp on dealing with different people. Right?" The moans and groans and hurt sounds of assent were enough to confirm that, in Jaune's eyes, Sienna had just about beat the opposition senseless.

"And if I hear ONE more comment about how I am a race traitor…" Her voice turned arctic, as she looked at one of the women and her foot lashed out. "Well… Guess who'll be my sparring partner from that day on, huh?"

The pained groan was there, yet Sienna's eyes had already shifted, the woman curling up after the kick to the lower stomach. "Get your ass out of here before the Schnee comes and eats you, human. It's bad enough that you reek of sweat and horrible shampoo."

He sniffed loudly and looked at her. "Not worse than you, Sienna. You should take a shower." Her eyes narrowed, and he knew that he had just forfeited whatever goodwill that he had built up. Girls did not like to have things pointed out to them that were something that could be a flaw in their perfect self.

"Noted. Now get going." Her foot hit the poor woman again, the pained groan loud in the air.

As the door shut behind him, he could hear an irate Sienna scream something, undoubtedly restraining herself no longer, one of the regular members of staff looking at the door with doubtful eyes. "They pissed her off." He said, the man shuddering.

"Yeah, there's a reason why Chieftain Belladonna's pacifism was such a great thing… High Leader Khan is a great woman, yet her temper…" He nodded, knowing well that Sienna thought with emotion first, compared to Willow, who was both cunning in her intelligence and in her actions.

As he returned to Beacon, he became aware of the looks that he got from people. Girls, mostly. They looked at him with new eyes, as if he had done something really great, that had really impressed them. Something that would put him in their eyes. "Are you alright, Jaune?" An upper year, whose name he did not know, asked, and he blushed.

"Y-yes." He stammered, even as she smiled at him. She held up her scroll.

"Here's my number… Call me if you need a bit of… assistance. I can dig the blonde hero look, for sure."The look in her eyes was flirtatious, even as she ran a finger through her long brown hair, licking her lips.

His scroll accepted the new number, the name of the older student entered automatically. "See you later… hero." He walked towards the dorms in a slight daze, aware that this was the first time that someone had actually given him their number, that they had been… flirting, perhaps?

Knocking on the door to his dorm, he waited patiently before it opened, revealing Ren. His usually silent teammate remained as demure as he could be. "Welcome back, Jaune." Was all that he said, allowing him entrance to the room.

"It's Jaune! Our glorious leader has returned!" The sound of Nora's energetic voice made a smile come to his face, even as he realized that it was time for him to get back to the world of being a Huntsman… that his days of lazing about were soon coming to an end.

"Welcome back, Jaune." Pyrrha said, her smile as radiant as it could be, her cheeks oddly flushed, even as Nora hugged him, nearly unbalancing him. A minor adjustment to his way of standing and he remained standing, even as she hung from his neck.

"He's super-duper lucky now! Having you train him!" The enthusiasm in Nora's voice was great, as Pyrrha seemed to turn even redder in the face.

"I'm sure it will be grand." She said, even as Nora let go, Ren giving him a bro-hug. Which was a little more comfortable than Nora's, if he had to say anything about it. Nora was… pretty heavy.

"Jaune?" Pyrrha approached him, and he felt his heartbeat pick up for some reason, even as she hugged him. "I'm going to make you into a Huntsman." Her voice was soft, yet firm, her face showing a redness that was as great as her hair colour.

"Yang said that she'd help out… Maybe coordinate something with her?" He suggested, watching Pyrrha's face fall slightly, yet she nodded.

"A good workout regimen coupled with training… Yes, that might work." The look in her green eyes was determined. "But please… do take a rest." He gave her a curious look.

"You've got a black eye. Was the training with that Khan woman so… rough?" She was just concerned, even as her fingers lightly traced over the skin around his eye, lingering perhaps a bit longer, her eyes a little dewy, as if they were really worried for him. _'She's such a nice, warm girl.'_

"No, just… me learning how to stand better. Sienna is hell on anyone who she goes up against. There was this massive bear dude, Zangive or something, and she just went 'POW', kneed him right against the chin, and she is a SMALL woman." Pyrrha seemed to look a little curious, as she tilted her head.

"Against me… How do you think she would fare?" Her voice sounded testy, and he wondered briefly whether it was a question out of pure curiosity or not.

' _She would decimate Pyrrha.'_ There was something about Sienna's style that reminded him of Blake's way of fighting, which might be logical, due to the two belonging to the same circle. "You probably would go down after a minute or two. She really doesn't mess around." He shuddered a little, remembering the looks of the people who Sienna had beat down. "Against ten people, she just decimated them…"

"Oh." The voice of Pyrrha was small, even as her face turned curious. "I guess there is a difference between a Huntsman in training and a real one, right?" Her eyes were curiously staring at him.

"Jaune the man!" The voice of Yang reached his ears, even as her firm set of frontal-space-occupiers pressed against his back, her arms reaching up and groping around, Pyrrha giving a squeak as she apparently touched something. "Needs more definition, buddy! We're going to pound you into hamburger meat and grill you into something that I'd like to sink my teeth in, Jauney!"

"Yang! That is highly inappropriate!" The voice of Weiss reached his ears next, and he turned to feel those glorious frontal-pillows brush over his chest… and there was no feeling of a bra anywhere. It was… hot.

Spotting Weiss right behind Yang, Ruby at her side, excitement tinting her face, with Blake as the very last, he smiled. "Hey guys! I'm back!"

"Jaauuunnee!" Ruby surged forward, Weiss giving a 'You! Don't, hey!' and then finding herself pressed up against him, the smell of her perfume something that he found to take his breath away. The cheeks were flushed of the three girls, in much the same way as Pyrrha's were. _'No doubt they are happy to see me again.'_

"H-hey. I'm… h-happy to see you again. Beacon would be… yes, ahem." Weiss Schnee stammering slightly, as her gaze went up to his own, then down to his chest, then rapidly up again, as her cheeks turned red, her body pressing perhaps a little tighter to him due to Ruby's urging. "We would miss our fellow team leader, yes."

"And we would miss your glorious training session! Like 'wa-choww'. Yang is in charge of the outfits. Right, Yang?" Her older sister gave a savage grin, as she looked at him.

"I asked your older sis about your sizes and she gave em. Of course, taking the time out of my schedule for shopping for something that fit my gorgeous body wasn't too good on the studying part, buster… so I am going to take my time and make you work Xiao-Long and Xiao-Hard, buddy." That she was so close made him look at her, those amethyst-purple coloured eyes looking at him, a challenge burning in those. "Oh…"

A hand grabbed his butt, giving it a firm squeeze. "We are DEFINITELY getting that ass of yours toned so good that we can bounce Lien chips off it, Jaune. Momma Yang likes her some tight toned boy-bum, yes sirree!" Ruby, Weiss and Pyrrha made a little sound, even as Blake spoke up softly.

"It's nice to see you again, Jaune." The simple purple shirt and the bow were enough for him, even as his Scroll beeped.

"One moment, guys…" He looked to see who was calling, and the call accepted automatically. A sun-glasses wearing Kali Belladonna, wearing a purple bikini which did not cover too much of her skin, showed up. The sun was definitely in the morning in the area where she was, as she smiled at the camera.

"Jaune! Hiiiii! Ghira, he picked up!" The camera turned to show Ghira currently riding a set of water-skis, his broad chest with the included chest hair and fur combination showing clearly that he was definitely taking time off, sunglasses on his nose showing clearly that he was taking it easy, even as Kali returned to the viewscreen. "Sooooo… how was your first session with Sienna? Did you two fuck yet?"

"Mooooooom!" Blake's whine was loud, even as Kali seemed to perk up. An interesting effect happened, and Jaune had to remind himself that this was a married woman, whose appearance was… pretty hot.

"That's my Blakey! Hiiii! Are you having fun with your friends? Sweetheart, just remember… I don't judge you for your tastes! If you want to get a cute human girlfriend or boyfriend, mom will love them as much as you do!" The excitement in Kali's voice was clear. "Hey dear, Blake's on the line! Say hi to Blake!"

The 'Hello Blake!' was muffled by the sound of the sea, the man doing an acrobatic flip. Clearly, there was some sort of inheritance of strength that Blake had goten, even as Ruby whistled in appreciation. "He's got some good leg muscles there! You really take after your dad, do you?"

Blake looked embarrassed, even as she nodded. "Yeah, if she took after her mom, I'd have been getting some kitty visitor in my bed by now. Blakey loves me, really…" The affectionate head-ruffle that Yang gave her, brought a whole different response from him, even as Ruby took a moment to prod her sister.

"Yaaanngg! Sleepovers are not yet on the schedule! Movie night first…" She looked up at him. "You will come too, right Jaune?" There was something in those eyes, as she asked, and he couldn't stop himself from nodding.

"Sure! I've had plenty of movie nights with my sisters!" He could hear Pyrrha mutter something about wasted chances, so he immediately made sure. "So… Can Pyrrha come as well?" His voice implored, Ruby's smile brightening a little more.

"Of course! It'll be singles movie night! We can do our hair, do our nails and make sure that we check out our dresses! And POPCORN! MUCH POPCORN!" She paused for a moment, before she realized something. She looked at him for a moment. "N-now, d-don't think you'd need to wear a dress. I mean, you can wear something more manly… I just thought it'd be nice to have a bit of a girls thing…"

"Oh, I've had to do that too. Getting the colour out of my hair when they've dolled me up is annoying." There was a pause, as the girls looked at him. "What? Saphron put me in a dress whilst Vivian took pictures. I know how to do nails, feet and massages! It's not unmanly!"

He thought that he could hear Nora say something that faintly sounded like 'Gee, if only Ren could give massages like that', but she smiled brightly, whilst Ren looked at his now-girlfriend. It must've been his imagination, as she pinched his butt, his face turning slightly red as she whispered something in his ear.

"Alright! Movie night! Yeah!" The announcement was met with a cheer, and the laughter of Kali as well. Jaune had forgotten that she was still on the line.

"Seems like you'll be having fun with a lot of girls, Jaune… You better now cheat on your furry little kitten, she won't like that!" The teasing tone of Kali's voice was really something that seemed to have been baked into that voice, as she smiled at him.

"She doesn't see me like that. It'd be illogical." Kali shook her head, even as she licked her lips. "No, you're wrong. It's more of the favour that she wants to repay than any real 'like'. She's an older woman, who'd even think that she could be interested in me?"

There was a collective pause, Pyrrha, Yang and Weiss, as well as Ruby coughing at the same time, Blake looking a little helpless as she shrugged. _'Right? Who would like a geeky guy who got shot and who isn't like… good at anything?'_

"If you say so… Well, it's time for me to hang up. We've got a date at the nudist beach!" A loud – "KALI BELLADONNA!" – came from her husband, even as Kali winked and said a quick – "Bye Blake! Give us a call soon!"

"So… eh, yeah, I'm back." He said, as he tucked the scroll right back into his pants.

"Welcome back." The chorus came, as the girls looked at him. It was perhaps his imagination, yet there was a fire that seemed to surround Yang's hair. Those eyes weren't red before either… but hey, he might just be seeing things. I'm sure that there was no chance that she'd be like some bandit, pillaging the innocent out of some 'survival of the fittest' thing, right?

Elsewhere, Raven Branwen sneezed.

* * *

 **Three chapters in four weeks! Enjoy! 4 weeks until you get to see the next fic in the production line! (Although I'm starting to think that you probably mostly like me for my writing of 'mature women'.) It's going to be something a little sweet!**

 **Leave a review if you'd like!**


	17. Curve

**Chapter 17: Curve**

 **Contrary to many people's thoughts, I do answer most private messages that I get. I also send messages to people that give reviews, just to know 'why is this a good story' and 'what can be improved'. The tendency to just utterly try to eviscerate someone through a review is good enough to kill the spirit of some people who try their best. Don't do that, okay?**

* * *

He was not expecting this. Sienna was already in the flexing process as she looked at him, the sole occupant of the training room the next week. It was something that had been already scheduled beforehand, the absence of the others noticeably so. "Where are all the others?"

"Hospitalized." She said simply, her eyes burning with that intensity, as she crossed the distance. "On the mat in front of me, Jaune." Her voice brooked no arguments or denials, even as she settled into a ready stance, ready to wipe the floor with him.

"Keep the balance on your feet and remember to dodge. A lot of the fights that you will be in will allow you to dodge to the side, roll away and keep fighting. You'll be fighting Grimm after all, not humans or Faunus." The woman's chain whirred, suddenly springing into motion, moving in a circular pattern. It looked a little like the special effects on one of the Anima Martial Arts movies, even as the Bengal Tiger Faunus moved through some steps.

"With a weapon like this, you will always want to keep an eye out on the chain. If it clips your ear, it is going to hurt." Her voice was calm, even as she spoke without any sort of hesitation, her eyes looking at him with that intensity. "Your weapon is the shield and sword combination. Heavy, yet able to block and strike." The wooden replica of a shield and a sword had been deliberately made in order to practice with, a whole rack of training weapons to be found.

"Not often do people use it though. Faunus are built different in comparison to humans. We have skills and traits that Humans do not have." The woman's chain ceased motion, even as she inhaled deeply. "We are certain of our skill. We are able to make calculations that would terrify the human mind. We are chosen with blessings that go beyond humanity's reach. Perfect balance. A perfect sight during the night. Sensitive hearing."

Hearing her extol the virtues of the Faunus was something that made him feel a little nervous, as those orange eyes met with his own. "You, frail and weak, like a chicken which had hatched recently, are here to get toughened up." Her voice was like a critic on the food, her eyes looking him over with that passionate manner of a drill instructor or Professor Goodwitch on a bad day.

"Yet, there is some improvement." The woman strode up to him, her finger pressing against his chest. It once more showed how small she was, her face looking heated, her eyes fierce and ready to bring the danger to him. The finger tapped against his chest. "The muscles on your body are getting used to it."

The first training session with Yang and the other members of team RWBY had been something that was worthy of note. As Yang's 'special training gear' had not arrived yet, he was treated to the sight of the ladies working out in tight-fitting clothing made for exercise, the pants that Blake wore outlining her pert rump, whilst Yang and Ruby preferred a top that really made their assets pop out.

He didn't really know what to do with Weiss, who preferred some more modesty, even as Nora had clapped him on the back and said in a boisterous voice that she'd be overseeing his training… from that point onward.

He had felt like minced meat afterwards, Ruby and Yang acting supportive, strangely so. Why they continued to blush as he removed his shirt and rubbed the towel over his stomach was something that he dismissed. His sisters never had much of a problem with him doing that, so they shouldn't have a problem either with anything like that.

"Yang and Nora are harsh taskmasters." He said, the woman's eyebrow rising minutely. "My teammate and one of my best friends' older sister." The woman looked pensive, even as she suddenly burst into action, knocking him flat on the ground, the chain sweeping his feet out from under him..

"Time to get moving. No time for distractions. Remember: If you can surprise your opponent, you will have the advantage." The woman was merciless, he found, as she pressured him hard, even though he knew that most of her speed was pushed into the legs, her sweeping arcs of motion enough for him to realize that she was deliberately handicapping herself, as he watched her extended foot slowly pull back, her look of disapproval growing.

"You fail at the basic understanding of where a foot goes." She said, the words not making too much sense to him. "The body is a machine, one that which is bound by the roles of the body. A limb cannot attack further than its own length, or it would be useless. The Faunus, are at a disadvantage when attacked from a distance. We make up for that by having the toughest bodies that you can find" She was close to him, standing over him, her eyes looking down at him. There was a particularly menacing look in those eyes that he didn't like much. _'Whoever said that she might like me lied…'_

"So… let's go again." The woman suggested, her voice lighter, as she offered him a hand. He could see the tight top that she wore, a dark colour that worked well with her complexion. It was tight around her chest, giving the perfect hillside to what was otherwise a landscape of hot woman. "You've got to learn your limits."

The woman did not stop her criticism, even as they worked through another set of movements, designed to take advantage of it. "You should be grateful." She said to him as she adjusted his pose, pressing against him, a distracting feeling. "I don't do this for just anyone."

It was probably true. Sienna Khan would have better things to do than to train some Huntsman wannabe to learn how to be a better fighter. "I know. You've got better options for spending your day. Not with someone weak like me."

She did not respond to that, even as she took a long exhale and stretched it out, her eyes closed, a lot rumble coming from her mouth, almost like a purr. Her hands were soft, even as they adjusted, turning wrist with a small turn and then allowing him to take a stab. "Don't over-extend. Make sure that you keep the shield up… There…" Her voice was like Pyrrha's, guiding him through the motion.

Pyrrha had been stricter in her dedication, drilling him on the style she used every evening. He could not help but wonder if she secretly harboured a vendetta against him, even as the sweat dripped down his forehead each night and he was glad to be able to crawl into bed.

"After you've had a shower, I want you to come with me to my office." Sienna said, even as she tugged on her top. The skin was wet with sweat, even as she took a few breaths to calm herself, and yet he knew that he was worse. His shirt was soaked in sweat, and he still had to get back to Beacon. _'I'm going to be a mess…'_

He enjoyed the shower more than he should, despite the poor surrounding. Even with how the water occasionally switched from hot to cold and back again, it was still a welcome reprieve, even as Sienna waited for him, passing by him with a quiet – "Five minutes, Arc." – that she spoke, the door to the shower shutting with an affirmative click, the clothing that were to replace her own having been in her other hand. She looked a little distracted, and he spotted her towel still in the bag, the bright red – **Property of Sienna Khan** embroidered on it.

* * *

Training him was more entertaining than she had thought. If there had not been a career in politics for her, she might have thought of joining one of the Huntsman academies, instilling the real deal of fighting in the hearts of young men and women of Faunus origin… and not just in the heart of this young man who made her heart beat a little faster than it ought to.

It was a faint trace of fear in her that kept her from uttering something more, her mind more distracted than it used to be, the flutters of emotion going through her being like she was just nineteen, ready to give herself up to the man who had earned her partnership. It was a memory that she banished, flushing lightly. _'I could just push the door open, request that he hand me something… A little peek at the goods…'_

It was a daring thought. A thought that would not have surfaced nearly five months ago during that first meeting. Her own mind, treacherous and dark, thinking of moments when she could lick the sweat off his body, tasting the effort that he put into her training sessions… and then perhaps a little more.

Her hand had automatically slid down, pressing there between her legs, a low rumble coming from deep in her throat, hidden as a cough. _'Not the time, Sienna… you said five minutes'._ The shampoo stung lightly as she closed her eyes, knowing that the requirements of the 'High Leader of the White Fang' were high, and well… It would be a good moment to show Jaune that there was more to the job than simply drinking with Willow and talking stuff that didn't really impact a human teen's life.

Things would change. She could already see the man that he was growing into. Broad-shouldered, tall… Dependable. A man who deserved to have the best wife that he could get, who would love him and cherish him…

She bit her lower lip, knowing that she would be moaning otherwise, her eyes closing shut, even as she felt the cold shiver go down her back. _'No… you are NOT… no, no, no. You can't do that.'_ Her credibility with the Faunus would be lost if she went for the urges that came inside her. The thought of taking the boy's innocence was a more pervasive thought than she had imagined.

' _You can bear it… It's just going to be platonic…'_ The urge was there. She was nearing thirty. The need for something that she could come home to was there… as was the loneliness. Remembering the previous night, stumbling into the apartment and then going to town on herself to banish that empty feeling of not having a lover, moaning the words that she would never speak, still brought dampness to her groin, even though right now, she was soaked in a torrent of water.

She stepped from under the shower, groping for a towel. She glanced at the peg, before she cursed. _'Fuck, I knew I should've checked whether I'd taken my towel.'_ This rarely happened, and now…

Opening the door at a crack and shuddering as the cold hit her, her nipples turning like miniature diamonds, she took a deep breath. "Could you hand me my towel?" She asked, her voice barely quivering, yet she could see his eyes on her. In his hand he had her towel. _'Seriously…'_

He held out the towel for her, as he had gotten it from her bag, undoubtedly forgotten in her distracted mind. _'I don't think he's the type to hide my towel just to get a show.'_ "Thank you." Her voice was smaller than she intended, the humbleness in her voice at odds with the grandstanding boldness that she conducted herself with, a private moment for the young man, even as she shut the door, the towel wrapped around her body, rubbing over those sensitive parts.

' _I should just have strolled across the room and retrieved my towel… I am not ashamed of my body! I am a beautiful woman!'_ The thought was beaten into submission by other, more prevalent thoughts. _'I wouldn't have known whether someone else was in the room with him. The training hall is pretty much property of the White Fang, so other people might have walked in. That would be unwise of me.'_

The privacy of her own home allowed her much greater freedom… yet the White Fang apartment was still something that was monitored. Ever since the assassination attempt, she had been ensuring her own safety.

As she emerged from the shower, freshly washed up and dried off, she saw him looking. Flexing her arm for him to see, she grinned at him. "See something you like, human?" She said, his eyes looking down, right at her curves. It was something that baffled her slightly, because… well… most men preferred to look at the tits, if the girl had a good set of them.

"Oh, eh… Eh…" The stammer was adorable, she thought privately, as she came closer, tracing her fingers over his chest.

"Hmmhmmhmm…" She turned then, flicking the underside of his chin. "Don't stare. It's rude." He followed after her like a good dog, like a good pet. She was the alpha in this place and well… he was just her human pet.

"The meeting is about to start, yes?" She inquired with her secretary, who was more-or-less busy with the typing up of one of the official documents that would affirm this.

"Yes, Miss Khan." The woman said, even as she continued. "The… reporter… is present."

Sienna smirked, looking at Jaune for a moment. "You're going to meet the bane of my work hours." The words were cryptic, even as she pushed open the door, spotting the purple-haired tart already sitting ready and waiting for her 'interview'. The woman wore a conservative-ish business suit, as was expected of VNN, yet the few buttons that were undone clearly allowed cleavage to be seen.

"Miss Khan, Mister Arc." The woman rose from her seat, extending a hand towards Sienna, which she briefly shook. It was just a brief touch, a look of disdain, then seating herself behind her desk and flicking on the recorder. _'Never hurt a woman to be a little prepared… This interview is a good PR stunt.'_

"A pleasure. Lisa Lavender, at your service." The tone of the woman was warm, professional and perhaps a little too cheerful. Sienna could imagine that uppity face of hers already slammed against the desk a few times, just because the hit pieces that she had reported on had been mostly negative. _'I can just see the headlines already…'_

"I have come here in order to interview you, at the gracious allowance of High Leader Khan. Your headmaster has been informed and has given permission, a rare occasion, truly, but… As you are a student, you will have to give me permission to interview you. It's one of those legal things." The woman shook his hand a little too long for Sienna's tastes, the woman's eyes looking her human over a bit too long, too long for Sienna to feel comfortable.

"Oh, sure. I mean, I don't really have much to tell you, I'm afraid…" The humble tone with which he spoke was something that endeared him to her even more, even as his role in the proceedings as the only injured Huntsman in training had been blown up in the media.

"Wonderful. You don't mind if I call you Jaune outside of the interview, right, Mister Arc?" The woman settled herself down in her chair, her chest making a motion that Sienna found to be a bit too trashy.

"Ah, no, of course not." The acceptance of such a thing was so him that it was usual to Sienna already.

"Call me Lisa. We're all friends here, or so I would like to believe." The look that the Lavender woman sent her was dubious, as her stance on Faunus was well-known. "So, Mister- ah… Jaune. I will be recording this interview, as is the best, and we'll be doing a small segment on that for the late evening news." A recorder was placed on the table, Sienna watching as the woman clicked it on.

After a brief test, the woman finally looked at him, smiling a little too eagerly. _'Calm down… you're just seeing greedy women everywhere. Willow was right about being a little paranoid.'_ "Alright, High Leader Khan… Please, for the listeners, explain to us the happenings of that evening."

The clear-cut press release had been enough and did not bear reiterating. Glancing at Jaune, she nevertheless mustered a smile. A predatory smile, as she looked at the washed-up woman as she sat there. "Upon the evening in question, I was informed through one of my associates that something had occurred. Evidence has surfaced that several Faunus, destitute in means and morals, obtained several masks and armours, stealing Schnee Dust Company Dust and attempting to make off with the crystals, only to be foiled by the brave actions of team RWBY, JNPR and the head of the Vale branch of the White Fang, who is a friend of Mister Arc of team JNPR."

She took a deep breath, keeping the words formal. The game was to not unveil that you had your own personal thoughts, keeping the words concise and without any sort of hints of other interpretations. "Mister Taurus and Mister Arc were hospitalized, the costs paid for by the White Fang and the Schnee Dust Company, as an effort to pay back those brave individuals who fought to keep order within Vale." The words were press-worthy, and she had not faltered in the slightest, even as the predatory woman's eyes met her own. There was displeasure in those eyes, as Sienna had not fallen low.

"Thank you, High Leader Khan. What inspired you to make the offer to pay for Mister Arc's treatment? Was it your own altruism? A personal connection perhaps? The White Fang is not known for kindness towards humans, what has spurred on this change?" The woman's nature was to pry at the loose boards and see whatever dirt she could dig up.

"The people of Vale may mistrust us for some of the unsavoury rumours that sprung up. The Great War is only eighty years in our shared past, with Faunus Rights granted during the revolution's end, when the White Fang was but an organization founded upon the ideals of our previous High Leader, Ghira Belladonna. High Leader Belladonna, a man whose ideals for Faunus and humans to walk together upon the path towards greatness, inspired me to ensure that we will be able to work together to forge a better future. If not for the generous offer of the Schnee Dust Company to cover the costs, we would have paid for Mister Arc's treatment." The words weren't the most… savvy, really. She did not shift her voice once, yet she could see the look on Lavender's face, as the woman turned to Jaune.

"And you, Mister Arc? How is your recollection of that fateful day?" The question was not something that was concise, watching his expression change, even as he smiled at the reporter/newscaster.

"I woke up, heard that one of my friends was missing, offered my aid to ensure that she was returned safe and sound. That we ran into one of the ploys of criminals and thieves was mere coincidence." The woman's eyebrow raised, even as she glanced at Sienna again. _'I don't like this…_ '

"Would you describe yourself as a Faunus Equality supporter?" The question was not related to the subject in the slightest, and before she could interject that it was not on topic, the blonde was already answering, his face dopey and with that faint smile there.

"Of course. They are all as great as we humans are. Don't take this the wrong way, but some of the Faunus that I know from Beacon are the warmest, kindest individuals who will defend the Kingdom and the world." The smile on his face was enough, and the purple-haired woman's tongue slid over her lips, Sienna smelling the scent of interest. _'That smile is enough to murder pussy if someone watches it… Oof.'_ She was not innocent in the slightest of feeling a similar twitch. _'It must be a Semblance or something…'_

"Plus, they've got all sorts of advantages! Doctor Oobleck was talking in class a few weeks ago about the eh… battle of Fort Castle? Le Goon or something made a tactical error by attacking during night-time, not being aware of the whole thing with their night vision… which is pretty silly. I mean, I didn't know the least thing about that until one of my friends corrected me." The Lavender woman leaned forward, her fingers fiddling with the button of her blouse.

"And would you say that you are in favour of more integration? Faunus are still often seen as the threat to our human sovereignty." The question was one of the tricky ones, Sienna thought. To see how Jaune weathered that one was definitely intriguing, even as the woman watched her target clearly, the reporter in her clearly working overtime.

"That's stupid. What can a Faunus do to our sovereignty? Aren't they just the same as us? When it comes down to it, they just have some extra features, it's not like they are Grimm or something, who will eat us… Do Grimm eat us? I should ask Professor Port that when I have Grimm Studies class next…" The thoughtful expression on his face was enough to make Sienna wonder briefly whether he was taking this serious or not, his eyes glancing at her, and the smile returned.

"But I am for integration, yes. Every Faunus and Human who becomes a Huntsman will defend the people of the Kingdom from threats that lurk in the wilderness." Lavender smiled. Sienna was surprised to see that it was a smile that had a touch of genuine feeling behind it.

"A noble sentiment. Now… I'm sure that our listeners would be wanting to know a little more about the gallant young man who aided our Huntsmen in retrieving the Dust stolen… Are you currently seeing someone?" The woman's teeth looked dangerous, even to Sienna's eyes. It was perhaps the hint of interest or the jealousy that suddenly surged in her. _'Your answer…'_

"Ah, no, I'm not sure that I'm really someone who's all that attractive." Sienna's fingers seized the desk, even as the reporter made a soft sound in the back of her throat.

"Surely, you must have your eye on someone. Your partner, Miss Nikos, perhaps?" The look on his face was troubled, as he pressed his lips together.

"No, she's more of a friend. She's got my back whenever I need it, which I do." _'If you're admitting that you got in without any sort of documentation, I will personally kick your ass from here to the front door…'_ Sienna tensed up, as Jaune continued. "But she's really someone that you'd look up to… Well, down to, really. She's about two inches shorter than me, so I often just nudge her a little, hehe."

"Oh?" The reporter spoke, in a not-very-professional manner. "Is there a story behind that?" The question hung in the air, even as the woman shifted slightly. "Or… do you prefer your women a little older? Many young men your age might take a fancy to an older woman, perhaps out of a thought of maturity?"

' _Oh come ON! That was so blatant a come-on line that you'd have to be blind not to spot it!'_ Sienna inhaled sharply, even as Jaune's snort came. "They'd have to be crazy to want someone like me. I'm just… decent, I suppose. I can cook, clean, dance. My sisters made sure that I could, so I don't really strike that whole manly ideal. I'm trying to work my way back up by being the best Huntsman that I can be."

' _DID HE JUST CALL ME CRAZY?! THAT'S IT!'_ She grabbed her 'water bottle' and then downed a hefty gulp of 'water', the burn working better on her stomach as liquid courage filled her, her eyes blazing, even as she popped a mint right after it, disguised as some stomach pills. "Some may approve of it. Not everyone is as traditional as to expect the man of the house to fight and defend them. Now… Is there any truth to the rumours of you being engaged in a relationship with High Leader Khan?"

He did not blush, which was to his credit. A look at the reporter, and then at her. _'If you answer to the negative, I… No, wait, he should answer to the negative!'_ Her death glare to him warned him clearly. "Of course not. She is a beautiful woman who is driven for the cause that she works tirelessly to advance. I admire her spirit and her grandeur, but to… eh, be in a relationship… Yeah, no. I'm not good enough for her." _'I don't know how to feel about that answer. I'm…'_

The fact that he had called her beautiful and driven, spirited and too good for her made her feel her heartbeat pick up a little. _'Seriously…'_

"Miss Lavender, is the current topic wholly appropriate? Are you working for the VNN or are you merely a gossip reporter?" Her clipped tones held fire, and the woman gave her a glare. _'That's right, you little harpy! Don't fuck with Khan!'_

"Simply a few harmless questions. Mister Arc, please… What would you see yourself doing, aside from more heroic deeds to save our wonderful kingdom of Vale?" The look on his face was turning into that look of half-constipated worry-thought.

"I'd like to marry and have children. Be the best father that I can be and make sure that my wife will never have to fear anything." The smile on his face was genuine, and she could practically _feel_ the positive energy hit her. _'Fucking hell…'_

Even Lisa Lavender looked a little taken aback by the rather wholesome answer, taking a deep breath, obviously to steady herself a little. "O-oh?" The hesitation seemed enough for Jaune to continue.

"Once I graduate, I want to explore the world. If I find someone to be there with me whilst I do that, aside from my team, then they will see the sights of the world with me. A small house, perhaps just enough for six or seven kids, a nice fence to keep the Grimm out and a lot of love. That's what I would like." Sienna swallowed. For a moment… For a moment she could see it.

 _A nice floral dress, mixed features on the six children around her, the faint tone of the doorbell as her husband came home, announcing his presence with a cheerful laugh and another stack of Lien for the general pot of money. All six children bearing Faunus traits, her stomach filled with number seven. No more worries and sleepless nights about the White Fang. Blake Belladonna as the next leader, leading a life of worries and stress, whilst she got what she deserved._

 _Peace. A husband. Love._

 _Mouthing a soft 'I love you' to her husband as he let the youngest children climb on him, his rugged features igniting the flame inside her once more, she walked to provide something for his meal._

"I… see." Lavender sounded a little… breathless. She looked a little flushed, taking a few deep breaths in order to stabilize herself, before she gathered herself fully again. Sienna and her shared a look. _'Let us never speak of this again.'_ The flush on the woman's cheeks was a good contrast to her regularly pale features, the shared look and agreement enough.

"Are you alright?" He inquired, the woman gathering herself, swallowing.

"Just a moment, I might have…" The woman, usually composed, rubbed her forehead, incidentally popping one of the buttons of her jacket, which hit him right between the eyebrows. "Ah, sorry! My apologies!"

"It's alright, do you want me to reattach it? I'm good with a needle and thread." The woman flushed lightly, even as she shed the jacket, the small blouse revealing the purple bra that she wore. _'Scandalous!'_ It did not dawn on her that she had shown Jaune pretty much everything else, through picture and text.

"If you would be so kind…" The manly hands moved with surprising grace, as he pulled a sewing kit out of a pocket and then started on the work.

"There, reattached." The Smile was on his face again, that smile that just screamed 'fuck me and give me a chance to dump babies in you', the look on his face natural and warm. "It must've been faulty stitching. Happens quite a bit with the jackets these days, it's the Vacuan method of stitching that often lets people lose a button here and there."

"This concludes our interview, Mister Arc. It was a pleasure." The jacket was still not buttoned up properly, the woman having chosen to give him a generous view, no doubt as some sneaky way to lure him in. "Thank you, High Leader Khan, for this opportunity. It must have been tough to arrange."

"Surprisingly easy, Miss Lavender. Mister Arc himself has been a bridge between the White Fang and the Schnee Dust Company. Talks with Willow Schnee are progressing about how to come to an amicable solution to the resolution of events that took place on that auspicious day." It was all polite lingo for 'we are working to minimize damages and to get good PR.', which would go over moderately well with the Faunus that adhered to their ideology. It was not something that Sienna really bandied about, yet… there was the fact that Jaune was her little pet project.

"I hope to see you again, High Leader Khan." The woman nodded, before the recording device was shut off. "You did great, Jaune." The woman smiled genuinely, another treat. "Often, first-timers have a bit of a difficulty keeping their words concise and to stay on subject… and yet it was me who was slightly distracted. I do apologize for any prying questions." The woman's body pushed forward in an obvious attempt to ensnare his attention.

"I just tried to mimic High Leader Khan." She had definitely instructed him well enough, if his words were as politically viable as they could. Not a hint of their earlier engagement came to light, the look on the reporter's face inscrutable. "She is an inspirational presence."

"Interesting." The woman rose from her seat, as she looked Jaune over, her eyes stopping at his face. _'Don't you dare, woman…_ ' "Here's my business card…" A small card-carrying case was pulled out of one of the pockets of the bag, the card pulled out and laid on the table, a pen appearing in the woman's hands, as the scroll number was written down. "And here's my Scroll number. Give me a call if you need _anything."_

"Ah, thank you." Sienna watched as he took the card, tucking it into his wallet. Mentally, she already counted the ways that she could string that purple-haired woman up in different ways, yet her face smiled, as was proper.

"I bid you farewell, High Leader Khan, Jaune." The woman left, and she sighed deeply. A headache pulsed in the back of her mind, as she could feel the pain work through her body, not stopping in the slightest as she felt the burn of the alcohol in her stomach. _'She was checking out my human.'_

"How did I do?" He asked, drawing her from her thoughts. He looked so cheerful, like a puppy that was waiting for its owner's petting.

"Decent." She said, even though in her estimation, he had done remarkably well for someone with no media training. "There's still room for improvement… So you better go and make sure that you put any plans for saving the Kingdom of Vale from a Grimm incursion to a few years from now, alright?"

If the Grimm invaded and he was some shining hero again, she just might have to murder Lisa Lavender for trespassing on her property. She just knew that the woman had lustful thoughts about her human toy-boy!

The hypocrisy of such thoughts being thought by the leader of a pro-Faunus group was lost on her, though.

* * *

Saturday evening came easily, as Yang kicked open the door. "Jaune! We got the order!" The casual clothes that she wore were enough to accentuate her body, even as she smiled at him with that casual murderous look in her eyes of 'I am going to make you feel pain and love it!'.

"We've also gotten a part of the gym reserved. Took me a bit of arm-twisting and beating up some second years, but we got it!" The look in her amethyst-coloured eyes was warm, even as she dragged him along to the gym. "And we got your measurements from your sister. She was kind enough to provide them."

' _What would they need those for?'_ The question was answered as Yang held up a package, wrapped still with wrapping paper. "For our gallant blonde with the bad-ass attitude! Paid for by our lovely Weiss!" The white-haired girl turned away, a faint dusting of red on her cheeks.

"It's… just money. I can't skimp on… things, you know? The Schnee Dust Company owes you, so… A-accept it." The words came out and he impulsively hugged her. "W-what are you doing? H-hey! S-stop!"

"You really shouldn't have." He said to her, and the girl turned around, her cheeks redder than Ruby's cloak. Her eyes looked up at him, large and blue and definitely like Willow's, sans the desire in them.

"I-idiot! It's not… Ahem. This is but a small favour! Good training equipment makes for a better man!" She was totally hugging him back. She was such a nice girl, being willing to pay for this. "I needed some myself, as well! W-wait here. Ruby! Let's change." The look on her face was one that he recognized as embarrassment, even as Ruby and Yang shared a look, grabbing a hold of Blake.

"Stop it! I don't want to! No! Help! Jaune!" Blake pleaded, yet she was dragged along without mercy, Yang's arm wrapped around her neck, the Huntress trying to get free, yet the hold unbreakable.

He opened the package to reveal a shirt that had the Schnee Dust Company logo on the tag, with ARC and a single 1 on the back, a set of shorts that looked comfortable enough to wear whilst exercising, as well as a set of shoes fitted for exercise, in the proper size as well, if he caught the make. _'This must've cost a pretty Lien.'_ A small note was attached to the shorts. **'Thank you for saving Blake. (** **W. Schnee )** **Weiss.'** The formal writing had a few strikes through it, obviously due to her not wanting to make the tone of the note too formal, a smile on his lips. _'She's really kind, once you get to know her. I shouldn't have shouted at her.'_

As he emerged from the men's section in the changing rooms, he took in the sight of team RWBY arranged in the order. A white top with red letters forming a stylized RWBY, a 1 on the bottom, slightly below the breasts, volume enough to make it stretch, slightly. A set of red shorts made the image complete. _'She's FIFTEEN. Keep it together, Jaune… FIFTEEN.'_

Next to her stood Weiss, currently in a relaxed pose, a similar shirt, coloured blue. Her stance was relaxed, the lack of breasts in comparison to Willow making him briefly wonder whether Weiss would be hitting that growth spurt, the contrast with Ruby… who actually was taller than Weiss, now that he realized it, the number 2 on the bottom side of the shirt enough, with the blue shorts completing the look. _'Oof… If she turns out like Willow, I'm afraid that I'll be sorely tempted…'_

Next to her stood Blake, still wearing her bow, yet the same shirt and a number 3. The purple shorts that she wore really brought out that rear end… and he realized that Kali and Blake pretty much were similar in shape, with the latter having much more in the behind than the former had in the front. _'I'm… this is tempting… this is-'_

Wearing a yellow version of the shirt, he was momentarily distracted by the volume of her frontal bumpers, swallowing deeply as he realized just how MUCH they bulged… and how round. The number 4 actually seemed to be cast in shadow, as her eyes caught sight of him staring and she seized Blake, whose face looked still a little gloomy, striking a 'sexy pose' that definitely was going into the archives. _' has crashed.'_

"Hey there, Jaune." Yang's voice inflected itself with the tone of someone practised in teasing, her hands holding Blake's up above her head, incidentally pressing herself against her partner. "See something you like, hmm?" There was a definite hint of seductive eroticism about her, as she pressed herself against the struggling Blake, looking down at her with a smouldering look, before directing that same look at him, licking her lips. _'Oof…'_

"Yaaaang! Don't tease Jaune! Let go of Blake!" The look on Blake's face was irritated, as she shot him a quick look.

"Does it fit alright?" Weiss asked, looking concerned, even as Yang gave a low whistle.

"Looking good there, Jaune… I guess there's some merit to you being Ruby's friend now, eh?" She nudged him, her eyes lingering on his face.

"Oh?" He inquired. Their aesthetic was great, in the way that they presented themselves.

"NOTHING! Yang! We need to get him training! He needs to be stronger!" The hurried interception that Ruby gave eased some of the pressure, Weiss still looking at him, raising her Scroll and snapping a quick picture. "Weiss! Stop taking pictures!"

The girl tucked her Scroll away and Yang started to laugh. "Get ready for hell, kids… Mama Yang is going to give you all the bang for your buck… And if you're lucky, a Yang to f-" Ruby's hand interrupted that word as it stuck a finger in that mouth.

"Yang! Dad said that you shouldn't be hitting on your partner!" That made much more sense, as Yang and Blake seemed to be closer than partners really should be. _'Oh, so she's into girls… Oh, I don't mind that. Saphron is into girls too!'_ He smiled at Yang, trying to convey the image that he was okay with her. Funnily enough, she turned red in the face and looked down, seemingly overcome with shyness.

"Alright, Arc! It's time to ride your butt like it's going out of style! Ruby! You're in charge of Cardio! Weiss, you're here to make sure that Jaune keeps hydrated! I'll t- Hey! Blake! Where are you going?" The enthusiasm that Yang had for her exercise was really something, as things bounced and wobbled, clearly demonstrating that Yang had opted to go with minimal support today… and it showed.

"To the library, after getting changed. This is a waste of time." The words were simple, yet the crestfallen look on Yang's face made him feel bad for her. "I'll be there, reading. See you." The coolness that Blake showed towards her partner was something that he couldn't bear to see, even as Yang sighed.

"It's okay. We can do this without her. I'm sure that she's just not feeling up to it. My sisters always had their moody times around the… eh, monthly visitor." Mentioning such a thing was a death sentence, yet Yang seemed to perk up slightly, a hesitant smile on her lips, showing that she was recovering… slightly. "So, cardio?"

Three hours later, he felt sweaty, sodden and tired, even as the weights brought more strain to his muscles than he'd ever felt. "Now, just relax…" Yang's voice brushed in his ear, even as he saw Ruby and Weiss relax a little, the latter doing a stretch whilst Ruby assisted. "Let the weights pull… and then slowly go back. Feel the burn, blondie."

Her generous chest hovered in his vision as he laid on his back, and he could see her hands wrap around the weights-set, guiding the metal pole with her strength. "A good bit of build-up is important."Her breasts seemed to be talking as she moved, a droplet of sweat bouncing off that tight fabric. Something that smelled faintly like one of the brands of shampoo that his younger sisters liked to use was nearby, and he felt the weight increase.

"There… Now… let's make it a little heavier, shall we?" Another weight was added. Her attention to detail, her care for his body, the way that she helped him, was all attractive. To see her like this was a blessing in its own… even though Pyrrha probably had some of the best and most toned legs of the entirety of Beacon's student body. _'Now, I don't really have much comparison, but…'_

He lifted the weights off the metal that supported it, even as Yang spotted him, her hands holding it. The weight wasn't 'much' for her, as she'd commented when she was setting it up. The weight hit him, and his arms quivered before they sank. "Got ya." Her voice came close, her generous bust moving up close to his face as he felt the weight lifted out of his hands, a single-handed lift enough for her, returning it to its position. "Bit too much… So I guess we're going back to the default, Jauney." He remembered, the impressive chest having been so close to his face that he probably could've just…

"Do you use Beauregard shampoo?" He asked. _'Stupid! You don't ask whether someone uses that shampoo when they're telling you stuff!'_ Yang blinked, before she nodded.

"It's really good for split ends, yeah… Why? Think it's a bit immature for a big girl like me?" There was defensiveness in her voice, her eyes looking at him, and he looked up at her, the quiver of her body making her chest stand out some more. _'No? Why should I?'_

"No, I just recognized it. My sisters used it before, she said that it's good for the hair. Viv and Saph tease her about it sometimes though… But I'd be dead if I used any it. Something about 'womanly privileges'." Yang's smile was warmer, as she shifted. Interesting things happened as she did.

"Gee, I guess I'll forgive you for getting a good look at the goodies, Blondie. Don't think that I didn't see you looking." He felt shame go through him. Yang was a very pretty girl, but to have it be pointed out like that. "Go hit the showers, buddy. It's enough for today, I reckon. Tomorrow… the REAL work begins." The look on her face was definitely one that was excited. _'I hope that things between her and Blake don't turn out badly. Yang is too nice a girl to really be hurt like that.'_

As he got out of the clothing, he could see the sweat stains on it already, the smell of it being about as wonderful as it could be… which meant 'not at all'. _'I wonder how Sienna deals with the smells… She's never talked about it much, but the senses that the Faunus have work like that, don't they?'_

He didn't really dally, washing his body with a dollop of the home brand shampoo from the supermarket, the smell of fresh vanilla hitting his nose. _'Ahh, a good shower after a day of hard work…'_

Opening the door and coming face-to-face with what seemed to be a telescopic Dust blade was not something that he expected. He followed the blade towards its wielder, momentarily cursing the fact that he had only a towel to protect him… and it wasn't even around the waist. The angry red eyes of a woman that looked like some dark copy of Yang, sans the sexy training outfit, looked at him. "You are weak. Frail. Unworthy of Yang." A glance down, clearly at what was between his legs. "Barely a man worthy of bringing her to her knees."

'…' Something just snapped inside him. He was not going to deal with ANOTHER mother who was either trying to fuck him (Willow Schnee, the example exemplified, be a great woman and all cavalier about encouraging him to sexually seduce Sienna (which he STILL considered to be a running joke, considering that Sienna ranted about Kali's lack of propriety whenever it was mentioned). "You will-"

His hand grabbed the blade with the towel wrapping around it. "No, how about you shut the hell up, lady?! I don't know your name, I don't need to know your name, but the way that you act makes me sure that I know the reason why you weren't mentioned once by either Ruby or Yang." Anger blazed through him, the woman's mouth opened, and her eyes narrowing, crimson looking into his own.

"You know nothing, boy!" She responded, eyes angry.

He growled at the woman, a sound that would be more at home in Sienna's throat, as this woman dared to interrupt what had been a good shower after a good bit of exercise, her daughter being so kind as to help him and then just threaten him with a blade.

"Don't give me that bullshit, woman. I don't know why you're here, trying to act like you're some sort of mother of the year to Yang… Trust me, you're NOT! You come here, put a blade against my chest and act all like 'oh, I am such a great mom, I am a total bad-ass, I protect my daughter from the shadows'." Mimicking the mocking tone that Sienna often got when she talked about the annoyances in her life was something that he'd only picked up. The tip of the blade pressed against his sternum, the woman's eyes blazing with anger.

"Seriously, lady… fuck you. Get fucked… oh, wait… No, you don't get fucked. You're the one who got out of Yang's life, undoubtedly because you couldn't bear to hear a child cry for its mommy. Did you leave your team to die too? Ruby told me about her mom and how she's _dead._ Did you fail her too? I bet you did. Fuck, why the hell do I always get with the messed up moms? Seriously, are you still…' The blade he pushed aside, getting into her personal space. A dangerous thing, yet he could see that she wielded the blade as her main weapon.

The red eyes were near-apoplectic with rage, anger and frustration, nearly blazing with energy, if he caught it right, but he was quite beyond caring. _'This woman just comes up here, no warning, no single fuck given, threatening me and then making herself look like some sort of mom of the year… Fuck that. At least my mom still knows that she's got the support of all of us, not like this… this…'_

"You don't DO that to your kids. You don't go around threatening like you're hot shit on a fucking griddle. You go and CHERISH your kids, instead of just being some bad-ass Animese geisha, looking all 'ooh, I wear red, have a nice pair up front and look bad-ass with a katana and a little head-rag'. Seriously, I've seen better-looking women than you. Your daughter's tits are so fine I'd grab a hold of them and never let go if I could, if she WAS interested in me… Which she isn't. So, fuck you." The woman's exhale was measured, and a jolt of something that felt like lightning burst through him, his aura flickering, as tongues of flame seemed to come out of the woman's mouth.

"What? Don't have a snappy reply? Not going to go all 'you must die, boy' for merely talking back at you? You're nothing, lady. Yang doesn't even MENTION you to me, who is a friend of her little sister. Ruby is a good girl, Yang is a good girl… and I guess that makes you a failure of a mom. Seriously…Get out of my face and fucking apologize to Yang, take her out on some sort of fun trip and reconnect, because she's all that you got and you're just the absent mom." The blade was cutting into his flesh, striking a long line towards his hip before he knew it, the sting enough to jolt him into fear. _'Is this how I die?'_

"Never… Oh, you… You…"The anger in the woman's voice was enough, as Jaune calmed down a little. "You're really fucked now, boy… I'm just going to-" He gathered his strength, willing his aura to cover him once more. The wound slowly healed up, slower than intended, a sign of how low he was, Aura-wise. _'Oh, if I'm going to die, I'm going to die standing for what I believe in. That's what Huntsmen do!'_

"You're going to be a mom that she could be proud of, instead of some bitch who only knows how to bully and threaten." Angry eyes looked at him, before she took a step back, the blade shearing right through his towel. His hand hurt, the blade having cut into his fingers. _'Damn, that's a loss. I'll have to buy a new one.'_

"Fuck… If you were Ruby's mother's teammate, she would have smacked the shit out of you for being such a bitch to your own daughter and one of her friends. Seriously…" The woman's lips pressed tightly together, the eyes still fiery and sparkling. There was a power in those eyes, as the woman took a long deep breath and then exhaled, seemingly to calm herself down.

The woman turned around, her blade cutting through the air, a red portal forming in front of her. It was shiny and visible, even as she stepped through. "Going to run away? Yang didn't get the coward genes from you, lady! She'll stand her ground, tank some hits and beat them silly!"

The woman's head turned, her eyes visibly teary, a tear running down both cheeks, as the emotional conflict was there. "Curse you, boy…" The woman hissed, even as she stepped through the portal, running away once more.

' _So, that was Yang's mom…'_ The blood that ran down his side was enough, even as he looked down at his chest. _'This ain't good…'_ He stepped under the shower, to wash the blood off him, his body wet once more, even as he grabbed the remains of his towel, dabbing at the wound for good measure.

He awkwardly made his way out, the shirt that he'd opted to wear before going to train a dark blue colour, good enough for the trip back to the dorm room, where he knew that he had a first aid kit. _'It's just a little scratch, after all… Aura will heal it.'_

He pulled the shirt off the moment that he got back to the dorm, coming to see a faint line of where the wound had been, already rapidly healing up. _'Perhaps my Semblance is based around healing up quickly after getting hurt?'_

His Scroll beeped once, and he opened it up to see a number that he had not seen before pop up.

' **I will allow you to date my daughter.'** The contact number was listed as 'Raven Branwen' in his Scroll contact list… and this made him worry for his privacy, if people could so easily get his scroll.

' _Well… I really screwed the pooch now, didn't I?'_ Not exactly the best impression to make on a woman who threatened you, who hurt you… and who was a lousy mom.

' _Ever since dad died, I've been running circles, trying to live up to his memory…'_

Mothers, especially his own, were a sore spot. To see that the woman, who hadn't even been mentioned beforehand by Yang OR Ruby, had the audacity to just come at him when he had been alone, when he had been waiting for the moment to just dress and instead had pricked him with her blade… Yeah, that had really set his blood aflame.

Yang was such a good, devoted girl. She really cared for her friends and her team and others… So to see that some jumped-up bitch with the whole delusion that she was hot shit because she dressed like some knock-off of an Animese samurai-hooker combination, well… He hadn't been exactly kind in his wording to the woman. _'Let's hope I don't wake up to find her about to spear me to the bed with that sword of hers.'_

His Scroll beeped once more – **'So, how was your day?'** \- the message sent by Kali.

' **Just the average… Went exercising with your daughter and the rest of team RWBY. How was your day?'**

' **We went to the beach again. Our holiday in Vacuo will be over soon… A pity, because the weather here is just right. Here… Have a picture!'** The image of a Kali and Ghira at the beach, or at least someplace close to the beach, appeared, Kali holding up a fruity drink whilst Ghira sported a glass with a lemon on it. They were wearing swimwear, luckily. The nudist beach pictures had been… flagrant. If Blake had enough of her mom in her... Oh yes, she would be even more beautiful in a few years. _'Neat.'_

' **Nice. You'll be coming by Vale again on the return trip to Kuo Kuana?'**

' **Of course! We'll all go out to dinner! Our treat! Bring your whole team and Blake's and I'll bring Sienna!'** Sienna would undoubtedly come, as Kali knew her weak spots. Another image came to his scroll, from another sender.

Sienna, looking serious as she stared at the camera, her hand resting on the back of her chair, sternly staring at the picture-taker. **'She's being mean, what should I do?'**

' **Endure it.'**

They were weird women, yet they were good company. Sienna cared, in her own way. Out of all of them, he felt closest to Sienna for some reason. It was deeper than anything he had felt before, like he had… somehow, pulled open the armour that guarded her and saw the real her. The woman who loved her people passionately, who just craved the acceptance of the world.

He remembered her words of yesterday. _'Yes… Sienna, I hope that your dream will be a reality soon.'_

You always had to keep hoping for the best, because what else was there to hope for?

* * *

 **And now people are going to leave me angry reviews about Raven appearing and not entering the grand lottery for Jaune's heart. The horror! The atrocity!**

 **Raven is not going to be interested in him. I can say that. Jaune in The dance of tigers has been given some lessons in how to be a tough bitch by Sienna and Willow. They don't take shit and he's just fed up WITH people's shit.**

 **And yes, I did take inspiration from a certain picture for their outfits. It's the aesthetic that I enjoy with the meme.**

 **In two weeks, you'll get to see a teaser for the next fic from me. Current title: Dies Irae. It features motherhood, expectations, a dash of heroism and eh… Yeah. Think of it as The dance of tigers, yet with a different slant to it. Older lady featuring in it as well, too.**

 **Leave a review if you'd like!**


	18. Tango

**Chapter 18: Tango**

 **There will be no large role laid out for Lisa Lavender, aside from a few cameos. I don't think I can feasibly put her into the story without making it awkward. Sorry folks. No Lois Lane love here.**

* * *

He looked at his reflection in the full-body mirror, even as Yang leaned against him. The sweaty body that brushed against him in interesting ways was definitely a distraction, even as she pinched the skin. "See? The flab is giving way to muscle." That his shirt was half-way on was only to assist her, and her fingers plied at the flesh. He could see several people staring, but given the attire that Yang wore, it was hardly surprising. His Scroll pinged once more with another message, even as he looked at his reflection in the mirror.

Yang had been… touchy. She had been the older sister to the core, lavishing him with a tap to the noggin and some hard training every time that he showed up. Sienna complimented him on his ability to dodge, which was solely thanks to her own rigorous training, yet Yang… Yang seemed to go nuts for getting him in shape.

Being physically hauled to the gym to do exercises cut into his time to do training with Pyrrha, who was understanding of Yang's quest to get him 'buff, tall and yummy', though the last part was something that Yang had only mumbled, as if he were some sort of ice-cream cone… and Pyrrha had been more than vocal about agreeing with her that muscle definition would be a boon to his body.

She still rode him hard whenever she sparred with him, though. That tight and fit body moving in interesting ways, the cleavage that she showed… _'I am so lucky to have such a caring partner… who is easy on the eyes.'_

"So distracted by these puppies that you're staring at them, Jaune?" Yang teased, even as she did a little bounce, the breasts moving along with the motion, his tongue subconsciously brushing against the back of his teeth. "That's okay. We'll drag Blakey with us next time. She's got an ass to die for." He wasn't sure whether Yang was openly affirming her relationship with Blake or not, but he supposed that it was a different day and age now, if people could just love who they loved.

"Oh, eh…" He flushed, even as Yang pressed those bountiful breasts against his arm. He inhaled deeply, smelling the shampoo that she used, even as those mounds rubbed up and down.

"Thinking about me in the night, Jaune?" Her voice turned downright evil, as she continued the motion, her tongue licking over her lips. "A long and _hard_ night ahead of you?" _'Is she… flirting with me? But… she's gay, isn't she?'_

"Eh, well… That is." He stammered slightly, as his cheeks grew red. This was just like when Vivian had dolled him up in a dress and had sent him out to greet his mom as the eighth Arc daughter.

"Xiao-Long! Stop gawking at yourself in the mirror and give me a hand!" The voice of Weiss cut through his thoughts like a red-hot blade, the Schnee girl having found a new drive to improve herself, her body starting to show more definition, muscles growing… not really helping much of her chest improve, a shame, as he privately thought, yet giving her more of a fitness appeal, even though Ruby often lurked in the background, doing her own exercise regimen, as Yang had so lovingly crafted it, to get even fitter and 'burn those darn cookies off'.

He pulled his Scroll out to check the message that'd just arrived, finding the message from that crazy woman there. **'Pin her down and breed her. Show her your dominance. Be a man. The strong take from those they conquer.'** He frowned, looking around for any sign of the woman. _'That woman is a menace! Every time I'm with Yang, she just sends a message that I should just… treat her as if she's just meat!'_

There was some meat on Yang, but damn, that was not the subject of his thoughts! "She's got a damn fine pair, doesn't she?" A male voice said, Russel Thrush coming to his… rescue? Perhaps. _'Yeah, but I'm not going to admit that out loud. I want to live.'_

"Hm." He said, noncommittally. The Mohawk-wearing fellow went for the weights.

"You're a lucky bastard, Arc. I thought you were just a weak pussy, but to get a babe like that…" Jaune shrugged, even as he went for one of the treadmills to get his cardio done, his shirt tugged down, even as he got ready.

The shower afterwards was a blessing, even as his Scroll beeped a few more times. _'That woman just won't STOP.'_ He exited with his freshly bought towel, a necessary purchase after Yang's evil hot twin mom popped up, checking his scroll to see that Kali had sent two messages. "Hey, Jaune?"

His head turned to the side, spotting the blue-haired guy who'd come from Haven together with the monkey guy that hung around Blake, looking a little sheepish. He wore his towel across his waist, even as he rubbed the back of his head. Jaune thought his name was Nape-town? Nepturn? Nocturne? "So, eh… Are you dating the beautiful snow angel?"

' _The who?'_ The look of incomprehension on his face might have clued the guy in that he didn't know what he was talking about. "Weiss Schnee." _'Oh.'_

"No, not at all. I mean, I doubt she'd be into me." The sigh of relief was enough for him to know, even as he began to make mental categories of the things he should do.

"You sure, dude? I mean, I can back off." The thought of having competition for the heart of Weiss SChnee was laughable. The girl probably thought him weird or something, even though her kindness won out most of the time.

"She's a good girl, but…" Willow Schnee's face came to his mind. The mother who had poured her heart out, just like the whiskey bottle down her throat. The mother who had been forward in her attentions, who had given him a hint of something that a woman her age should not give… who was broken on the inside. "No, I don't think she would be into me. I treated her badly."

He'd treated a lot of people badly. Sienna might be rubbing off on him. Sienna, who always seemed to hold three measures of suspicion towards everything and everyone. Even Adam, who was now living together with Amanda. Whatever happened between the two of them had led to Adam moving in with her was… well, Adam had said that it was 'one of the best moments of his life' and then had went into explicit detail about the spots that Blake liked to be touched in.

It had taken nearly a week before he could look at Blake without blushing. The way Adam had described every little nook and cranny and some of the stuff that Blake was into had been graphic and explicit…

"Good, I'm going to give it a shot." The guy said as he walked off into the shower, ready to go take it. Jaune wasn't overly fussed about this encounter, knowing that the guy would try and probably get his way. It wasn't that Weiss would like Jaune Arc, civilian turned Huntsman, right?

He tucked his Scroll in his pants after getting dressed, figuring that he'd get some of that study time in. It would be a shame if he had to lose out on that, after all. He'd read the message later.

The library was a peaceful place, even with the sudden influx of students. As he read through the manual on combat tactics and stratagems, one of the smallest and thinnest ones, he caught sight of the blue-haired young man as he walked with a confident swagger towards the table where Ruby, Weiss, Yang and Blake were engaged in some Remnant: The Board Game, his attention going towards the players at the table.

Ruby gloated about something, too far away to really be audible to his ears, yet she emanated a sort of purity that soothed his heart. Yang's half-way interested gaze met his own and she licked her lips slowly, a confident and cocky grin on her lips, even as his gaze drifted to Blake. Disinterest in the game and the book that she'd had in her lap more interesting to the girl, it clearly showed that she was just here to be having fun. Weiss… was definitely mimicking her mother in megalomania. That look of 'I am Schnee, hear me roar' was something that he'd noticed before on Willow.

The blue-haired young man spoke up, the attention of all four members of team RWBY on him. Blake's interest waned after the first syllable, whilst Yang's eye lingered, and Ruby merely acted in good spirit. Weiss, whilst looking flattered with the attention, shook her head. Dejectedly, the blue-haired young man walked off.

"Didn't work. She's focusing on being a Huntress, instead of such 'foolish things as love'." Neptune said, as he sat down opposite of him, Jaune giving a nod. It was understood easily by him. They were all here to make the world a better place.

"Jaune? Pay attention." Pyrrha said, and Neptune's attention went to her.

"Hey there, my name is Neptune Vasilias. Would you like to go out with me?" Jaune watched Pyrrha's expression for a moment, noticing that the look in those eyes turned like steel. _'Uh-oh…'_

"I am afraid that I do not have the time for dating someone." Her voice was even, calm, without any discernable emotion. "My heart is already set upon a course from which there is no return." He thought that that might be a classical opera line, but he wasn't sure. He'd never really went into opera stuff, even though his youngest older sister was trying to get him interested.

"Ah, and y-" Nora's hand slammed the book shut, fixing him with a look.

"I've got a hammer and I will use it to crack your nuts." The blunt, aggressive statement was contrary to Nora's expression, even as Ren looked at her as if he was seeing her for the first time. "I'm with my boyfriend. Now kindly fuck off, or I will break your legs AND your dick."

' _Well… I guess that is a dismissal.'_ The blue-haired guy was pale in the face, even as he took a deep breath. A pinched voice sounded from him. "Alright, understood. I'll eh… I think I hear my team leader calling me."

The dead silence in the library was something that was hard to shake, even as he beat a hasty retreat, Jaune watching him disappear. "I'm sorry Ren, I just…" Nora smiled sheepishly, even as her boyfriend smiled at her with an understanding look.

"I am happy you feel that strongly about me." He gave Jaune a look, as he hugged Nora closer. "Do you have someone you like, Jaune?"

Pyrrha's attention was on him now, as Ren had asked that question, her eyes anticipating, even as he thought about it. _'Do I really like someone?'_

' _Willow is kind of that 'hot older woman who oozes sex appeal', whilst Sienna is the more passionate one, leading her organization with the charisma of someone who loves what they do…'_ It was not enough to say that he liked them, though… They both had their own vibes. _'And there is Yang, who keeps on touching me…'_

"Jaune?" Pyrrha asked, her voice oddly hushed. "Are you, okay?" He smiled at her. _'Good old dependable Pyrrha. Always there to help her partner out.'_

"Just thinking… I mean, I know so many of you, I'm not sure whether… Yeah, I think I like all of you. You're good friends. Couldn't wish for better people, really." She turned a little pink as he said so, her breathing a touch heavier, as if he were unveiling the mystery of the universe to her. _'I didn't say anything really out of the ordinary.'_

"And… and what about me?" She asked, Nora making a stifled squeal, Ren turning extremely quiet, as he leaned towards his girlfriend, who seemed to be waiting for something. _'Eh… Really?'_

"You're my partner. If I didn't like my partner, I'd be the worst guy ever… I mean, you're smart, strong, dependable, all-around awesome… I'd say that you're one of the closest people to me. No offence, Nora, Ren." The look of redness on her cheeks and her eyes turning down, a few shuddering breaths taken and a deep swallow was enough. _'Oh no, I've embarrassed her.'_

"None taken. I don't really like you like that, Jaune." Ren said, his voice calm and clear, as he took his time to speak.

"I do. Jaune is cute! We should do some rough stretching with all three of us." Ren turned pink, his cheeks reddening soon after. "Don't worry Jaune! We'll go slow at first and then you can REALLY give it to me." The look on Pyrrha's face turned panic-stricken.

"Nora!" The cocky grin on the hammer goddess was enough to make Pyrrha flounder, Ren's mouth opening and closing, a slow exhale coming from his mouth after a moment.

"If you want me to, I will." Nora turned a little red in the face, even as Pyrrha seemed to lose her spirit, blankly staring forwards. _'Gee, what's wrong with some stretching?'_

"Are they going to be like those stretches that Yang makes me do? The ones which take some effort for her to arrange, because it really works on her back when she's pressing me down?" A squeak came from Pyrrha's mouth, as she looked at him, the redness on her cheek like a freshly plucked apple. "I mean, I think she's doing a good job." He flexed his right arm, for Pyrrha to see.

"She's putting in a lot of hard work to get me stretching with her every morning." Pyrrha looked like she was gibbering, her eyes unfocused, some drool coming right from her outh, dripping down her chin. _'Gee, that isn't too bad, is it?'_

"But Miss Khan… now THERE is someone who's limbered up. She can lift her foot behind her neck. I didn't know you could do that. The human body is kind of amazing..." The blink, Pyrrha's consciousness returning, even as Nora and Ren started to breathe again, Nora jabbing her boyfriend in the side.

"Picture! Tomorrow! Suffer through it if you have to!" Her boyfriend looked a little uncomfortable, but he shrugged. Whatever was between the two of them was between the two of them, he didn't have anything to do with that.

"So…" Yang sat herself down in his lap unprompted, her blonde hair filling his vision as that gorgeous rump pressed against his groin. "What're you reading?"

She looked at the title of the book, her ass pressing right up and down on his groin, a little wiggle that she gave when she adjusted herself that he could not help but mentally mine his self-control to suppress the urge. _'Don't get hard, don't get hard, remember… She is like Saphron, she doesn't like guys.'_

"The Art of Tactics and War, by Sunny Choo?" She turned, and her fine rump rubbed up and down, the stimulus making whatever self-control he had move, her body freezing as it did, a flush on her cheeks. "O-oh. Eh." Her gaze went down, then it went up again. He could see that the blush seemed to evaporate.

"I'll get off." She seemed not to have the teasing appeal on today, even as the book that she had snagged was tucked under an arm. "Come and get your book, loverboy… I'll be waiting." The wink that she gave him was confident and ready with its own cockiness, as he felt the difficult situation that had risen in his pants. It seems that it WAS on...

"Oh well…"He opened his Scroll to see the messages from Kali, waiting for his little manly issue to go down. **'Jaune, two weeks. That's when we'll be back in Vale. I've got SOUVENIRS!'**

The smile on his lips was enough to draw the interest of his teammates, as he saw the picture attachment of the next message. **'MY PANTHER MAN!'**

Ghira Belladonna, asleep as of that moment, with some lipstick on his face, a 'Property of Kali Belladonna' on his left cheek and 'Damn fine husband' on the other, looking like she'd definitely given him a bit of a makeover. **'He only noticed when he looked in the mirror. My husband is angry at me now… Ooh! So scared!'**

A saucily-grinning Kali, decked out in only a skirt and her bra, grinned back at him. "That is… quite the risky picture." Pyrrha commented, Jaune snorting lightly.

"She's a very open woman. Not at all like Blake. You should've seen that picture that she sent me of her and her husband at the beach." He had to admit that for a man of his importance, Ghira Belladonna definitely kept in good shape.

"Dare I ask?" Pyrrha said, a strange tone to her voice.

"String. A lot of string. Her husband dresses modestly in comparison. She reminds me a little of my oldest sister… Teasing. Lazy. A little bit devious when she wants to be." Pyrrha seemed to calm down a little, as she seemed to realize that the friendship between him and Kali was a little bit less than it appeared. _'Who'd believe the adulterous housewives tales, huh? Well… I suppose Willow counts.'_

He looked at the empty spot in front of him, where the book had lain. _'I should look up about the up-hill tactics… We might be up on a mountain or something…'_ He glanced at team RWBY, Yang giving a little proud smile as she moved her hands apart, Weiss and Ruby looking a little scandalized, even whilst Blake was staring right at him with judging eyes. _'Oh shit… I think Blake isn't happy about me pressing in on her girlfriend.'_

He got up and made his way over to their table, Yang ceasing the conversation, her cocky look up at him leaving him with a perfect view of her cleavage. "Hard-on up on the reading, lover boy?" Her voice was like a teasing purr, even as Weiss turned a little redder in the face. "Yang! You are out of line."

"H-hey, she's my sister. Yang, that's enough…"Ruby's gaze was directed downwards, around his pants for some reason. Yang, still looking up at him, dared a glance down as well, her tongue licking over her lips, before she looked up. _'Fuck, with red eyes she'd look so much like her mom…'_

That scary creepy hot mom with her blade. "Gotten enough buck for me, lover boy? Wanna have your book back… huh?" Her hands grabbed the book, which was fairly thin (it had pictures in it, luckily) and then tucked it into her shirt. It was once more apparent that she had gone bra-less, as she looked at him with a challenge. That yellow shirt was straining...

"Going to get your book back, Mister Arc?" Her voice teased, even as the aghast expressions on her teammate's faces. Blake looked redder than she had ever been, Ruby was aghast in her expression and Weiss was staring with the trademarked 'this is not happening' look of Schnee competency. "Might have to dig deep. I've got big tracts of land right here…"

He took a deep breath, knowing that to be goaded by her was just another of her silly little games. "I will do it, Yang." He said, his mind replacing her appearance with that of her evil-twin-lookalike-hot-mom. It was easier when he did not feel like she was teasing up a storm.

"Try me, big boy." He closed his eyes as his hand went for the opening, feeling something warm and almost marsh-mallow-like press around him, a shuddering breath coming from her lips, before he groped around, digging deeper. He could feel impeccably soft skin, a girl's skin, even as he found the edge of the book, tucked at one of the sides. "A-ah?"

A jerk of his hands later and his arm was on an upward twist, a shuddering pant coming from Yang's mouth, even as he could feel resistance from the jacket that kept her looking as tight as she did. As he turned the book, a soft groan came from her mouth, as his arm was seized by a hand. "S-stop."

His eyes opened, meeting her own. Lavender met blue. "No." He jerked up and then pulled his book free, looking at it for damages and then looking down, seeing the top stretched slightly, her eyes moist and looking like they might tear up a little. "Don't hide people's books, Yang. I know I'm not the best student, but you shouldn't do that. Teasing someone like that is going too far."

"Yang Xiao Long…" The cool and collected voice of Glynda Goodwitch came from his right, and Yang seemed to pale, even as Jaune turned to face the woman, whose face was seemingly carved from ice with her frosty glare, as she looked at the young woman. "Detention. My office. Tonight. We do not bully students here with one's attributes." The woman nodded, walking off with her heels clicking on the floor, her cape fluttering slightly in an unseen breeze.

' _Saved by the Goodwitch.'_ He looked at her, giving her a look, the trembling lip looking like she was going to cry. "Now, please… Be a bit more considerate, alright?" She looked up at him, and then took a deep breath, seemingly ready to say something, but he turned around, going back to his table.

Whatever she said was heard by team RWBY, a loud 'WHAT?!' coming from Ruby, as Yang put her head down into her hands, looking fairly miserable. _'I would be miserable as well if Goodwitch gave me detention… though I don't know what that would mean.'_ Weiss and Ruby looked distressed, as if Yang had said something that was utterly mind-boggling, Ruby looking at him with a look that seemed surprised and a little bit curious. _'Alright… now to look up formations on Hills…'_

"Go Jaune!" Nora said with a raised voice, as Ren shushed her softly. "That was some daring."

Jaune shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first time that I've had to retrieve something from a place that isn't really available." Willow Schnee sprang to mind. "My sister got really drunk once and eh… stuck the keys to the house somewhere where it really isn't safe to put them. You've just got to close your eyes and then think 'alright, keys, get them.' And ignore everything else whilst doing it." Nora's raised eyebrow was enough.

"Ooh, where?" He shuddered. That was NOT a fun memory. Having to open the bathroom plumbing in order to find the keys in all the vomit was just… eww.

"Half-way down the toilet pipe. She'd dropped them as she was eh… yeah. Orally expelling stuff. I was the only guy in the house, so guess who was the lucky one?" A sound that sounded like disappointment came from Nora, who seemed to deflate slightly.

"No interesting story then…" She said, even as Ren shook his head at her words.

"Not everything has to be a story, Nora." He said, as he gently brushed a hand over his girlfriend's head. Jaune envied him a little, being so casual with his girlfriend, whilst he remained girlfriend-less for the time being. **'Remember: Bring a fresh set.'**

The reminder that Sienna had given was pinged loudly on his scroll, even as he tucked it away. _'Guess we'll be getting some high-stress training out of the way.'_

* * *

She could feel the tension in her body, the roiling in her lower stomach as he stood before her, weak and yet hardening under the labour that he did. The body was weak, yet the eyes were possessed with a spirit that seemed to be something a little more than the average soul.

"Again." She said, even as he dashed, her whip flicking into his path, his dodge enough to dodge the first of the sharp tips, the Dust-round not loaded, even as she watched him, the whip cracking once more, the chain rustling as it was pulled back, a low hiss coming from her mouth. He was shaping up to be a moderate operative… not to her standards yet, but better than the average bread and butter grunt. _'A few more years…_ '

She was not a vain woman who cared much for appearance. As she made a dismissive sound, the shorthand for 'take a break', he picked up his Scroll, checking his messages. He looked innocent, without much of a care. As she took a step closer, she could smell the sweat on his skin, the innocence that laid below like a lure to the sinful woman inside her, her hand on his shoulder. It was sticky and wet, the sweat clinging to the fabric and to her hand.

' _You're going to be a good man to m- someone.'_ She didn't lie to herself. She did not hide her feelings for herself. She knew that… he was someone who needed aid. **'Do you want to-'** The message cut off as she hissed at him. "Break time over." She said, noticing the icon at the top of the screen, showing a blonde girl whose chest was as big as her head, if she had any comment about it.

"But Sien-" Her whip cracked dangerously, and he was in motion. _'Good boy… You will be feeling the sting for a few days, but it will make you stronger…'_ She liked strength in her men. It made them less weak. He was making the moves of a dancer of death, the motion as easy as the dance had been for him, his balance perfect, even as she lazily cracked the whip at him, the sweat in the air bringing tingles through her body.

Currently heightened hormonal state aside, she knew that staying around a man in this state was dangerous, yet… he seemed to need the help more. She could feel every little touch she made burn like flame on her fingertips, her hand raised lightly, the smell of his pheromones invading her nostrils, even as her nethers seemed to grow damper. _'Weakness and frailty… A weak young man, unable to challenge me.'_ The blood in his body was but the mortar that held the muscle and bone working perfectly, her eyes watching carefully as he seemed to be possessed by new fresh spirit, even with his body upping the pace.

' _Sienna Khan bows to no-one.'_ She was an icon. A woman of spirit, strength and stature. Young Faunus girls looked at her and then wanted to be her. Her whip snapped once more, and the thought rose to her mind of something a little bit different.

' _Don't focus on the thoughts, focus on the training.'_ She was not going to worry about the things that could be, whilst she still had a job to do. There was nothing that could stop her from completing her training of her young man, whilst she still had to carve out her own stake of his flesh.

She knew little of the others around him, save for the fact that they were present and they presented a challenge. She was sure that he was getting more training in than hers. The girl had said that she would assist, with the others of the team lending a hand as well, so Sienna was not worried about whether there would be danger from that front.

"Shirt off, push-ups. Give me a hundred." She moved casually, her bare feet moving over the mat, watching as he dropped after he pulled off his shirt, the body that stood there showing a little more definition, her foot raised and then placed on his back, a soft whimper coming from him, as her foot felt the sweaty skin below it and she stepped on top of him. Due to her stature being less than optimal for a Faunus, it was no doubt not too grand for him to bear, yet the quiver that ran through his body was unmistakeable. "Come on… I asked for a hundred."

She had been testing the muscle strength of the boy by standing on his back, after vetting with certainty that he would be able to bear it. Whatever he ate must have enhanced his muscle mass, because his strength was good enough to push him into the territory of the level of some of the lower Lieutenants… with less training than those men and women had. _'What would he be like if he had gotten the training?'_

The image of some tall blonde man being able to wrestle her to the ground and then tear off her top came to her mind, a low sound from the depths of her throat, almost like a purr. _'I haven't wrestled in a while… Whoever said that being a multi-disciplinarian was wrong, obviously was wrong.'_

She had been into a range of sports during her college days, before the activities with the White Fang really took off. Politics weren't learned during a day, after all… and some grounding and legitimacy was always wanted.

"Sienna, please…" Her body moved up and down, as he worked through the push-ups, her grin savage, as her foot pressed to the back of his head. _'This is how it should be… humans below our feet.'_ Another image, entirely crass and crude came to her mind, her tongue licking over her lips. _'Not too unwholesome…'_

Kali must've been gone for too long for her to have such thoughts, even as the footsole brushed over the back of his head. "Please what, Jaune? Please give me a hundred more, Mistress Khan?" Her voice was brusque and rough, to hide the arousal that had suddenly made itself known to her through the blaring of her biological claxon.

"Eh… no." He said, and shuddered. The weight of her body might be getting to him, yet she did not get off his back. It was good training for the young man to endure this much. Her tongue licked over his lips. "I just…"

Her foot removed itself from the back of his head, a low exhale following, as her attention shifted elsewhere, letting him perform solo after he had done 75 push-ups, deeming it more than enough. "You're turning into quite the man."

Blue eyes looked up at her, and she felt the warmth gush through her nethers. To see those eyes look up at her… And then another image came to her mind which momentarily made her lose her focus, a shudder going through her. _'You should take your pills… And a cold shower. You're going to be raping him if this continues… Doing it today was a mistake. You know that you're a lot less restrained when in a period of need.'_ The situation with the White Fang smugglers had not escalated beyond the media, the interview that the purple-haired tart had given about to air tonight. It was a compromise, due to the copyright and such things, all too complicated for her to remember.

"So, your interview is up for tonight. How do you expect it will go?" He smiled at her, the smile once more destabilizing her mental order and making her feel self-conscious. It was a smile that she saw on his face.

"Pretty well. Miss Lavender informed me that everything went well." The woman had given him her number, after all… Sienna had not been able to prevent that. "Say… Do you know a woman named Raven Branwen?"

The name came to mind immediately – _Branwen tribe –_ as well as some of the current-day players in it. "She does come across as familiar, yes." She said, her voice measured, as she looked at him. "Why?"

"Well… She's eh… Threatened me with death. Didn't quite like the way that her daughter is giving me attention, getting me in shape." There was a pause, as she looked at him. Her hand brushed along the bridge of her nose, a low groan coming from her mouth. _'Gods damn it, does he have a magnet for danger attached to his dick or something?'_ She would check that out personally, had she not the urge to just jump him. Decorum and the fact that she was still in a public place, kept her from doing so.

"And you think she is a threat?" He shrugged.

"She seems to think her daughter fancies me or something." Her eyebrow raised, skeptically. "So, eh… She went and threatened me as I came out of the shower." The eyebrow raised, some more.

"I… see." She knew that she could do nothing 'officially', and the troubles around the rogue element of the White Fang still held more import than protecting her human from the depredations of some sex-starved bandit harlot.

"So, eh, I went and threatened her back." Her eyebrows went down as she frowned at him. _´Fuck.'_

She showed it, at least, his eyes looking at her. "No, she didn't hurt me much. Just a scratch." His chest was fine, and there were no stab wounds. "She backed off, but now she is trying to eh… make me get together with her daughter."

' _Nope. That is not going to happen as long as I breathe.'_ Her voice was even, as she spoke. "The woman is a bandit. A murdered. A thief. Do you really wish to have her against you?"

He looked her in the eyes, smiling that silly confident smile that made her want to just tear his clothes off and leave little marks on his flesh that she owned him. "No, but if she sees that Yang is only into girls, perhaps she will back off."

She hoped for that, as she turned away, the door opening up and her personal assistant entered. "High Leader Khan, Miss Fall has arrived here to for your meeting about our personal touch to the plans for Vale. I have left her in the antechamber to your office." _'Annoying.'_

"Take a shower and get the fuck out, Arc." She said, her voice brusque, even as she tugged her whip back into its easy position, her hands pulling her bag up. "I'm taking a shower in the side office. Let Fall wait for a while, we're getting down to business… Let's see what the human wants."

She was not concerned about her impression on Jaune in the slightest, as she made way for her office, stepping into the shower that had been built into the second office and cleaning herself up, a fresh suit pressed and ready. She was able to dress in less than two minutes, straightening the tie out and then looking at herself in the mirror, before exiting and going to her personal assistant. "Make sure to clear the schedule for the rest of the day, this may take a while."

She entered the office with the Fall woman, who smelled of fire and Dust crystals, the woman wearing a red dress that outlined her features. _'I would fucking BET that she'd be hopping for Jaune's dick as well if she knew him.'_ There was no doubt in her mind that the woman was the type to toy with men, if her looks were any indication. Twenty-four-ish with a nice set up front and eyes that'd just make a guy make a mess of his pants if they were lit up with emotion... yeah.

"Miss Khan, a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance." The woman's voice was soft, even as her eyes were like lit coals, smouldering in the depths of those orbs. "Such a pity that our cooperation with brother Adam is cut short due to his hospitalization. It was… a task, was it not, to arrange."

'… _Feign knowledge until you know what she's talking about.'_ "Yes." She said, her voice light, even as the Fall woman spoke, her smile curling into what seemed to be a little bit of a tease.

"That young man… mister Arc… What is your relation to him? Do we have anything to fear from him for the plan for Vale to come to fruition?" _'I'm going to hunt down Adam and force him to cough up what he knows…'_ She straightened her face a mask of ice. This was political. The woman treaded dangerous grounds.

"Aside from misplaced heroism and the ability to be in the wrong place at the wrong time… Nothing to fear. The boy is a young idealist who desires to be a hero, yet whose skills are lacking."

An honest assessment from her. The woman smiled faintly. "Declaring the section that worked with us to be a faction who engaged in smuggling must have cost some political capital. It was a wise move, though. The organization is still feared by many… yet you have proven to be apt in dealing with the public. There can be a place for you as well." _'What place, Human?'_

"Possibly." She said, her voice carefully neutral. "Get to the point." She said then, her voice strict. "I do not have the time to be dealing with mere trifles whilst there are more pressing arrangements to be made."

"The fleet that General Ironwood has brought here… They will undoubtedly suspect you and your organization. The White Fang… has its uses, I admit. A great tool to show humanity that the Faunus are to be feared AND respected." The woman's flattery was useless, yet Sienna pretended to be flattered.

"Indeed." The woman's smirk, for it was indeed that, was as vicious as any Shark Faunus'. "Allow me to be so bold, Miss Fall, as to suggest that we retire for the day, as I have a speech to prepare for. The interview with the simple fool of a human needs a public response, after all." The woman smiled, even as she arrogantly looked at her.

"A young man whose dreams are coming to fruition… and whose dreams burst like soap bubbles in the dust storm… Ah…" The cruelty in those words, as well as the complete and utter lack of empathy that she saw in those eyes, was enough for her. _'I am lucky that only those closest to me see the real side of me.'_

"A mere tragedy for the annals of history." She said, confirming what the woman thought. _'Those who are the most arrogant, always fall for the easiest solution…'_ There was a disconnect between the persona of 'Sienna Khan, High Leader of the White Fang' and 'Sienna Khan, the woman', allowing for easier switching to a work persona when it was needed. Sienna Khan the High Leader was someone who knew when to punch and when to hold that punch in, when to strike for the most impact and when to keep the ammunition in reserve.

"Indeed. Shall we meet again within three weeks?" The woman suggested, even as she got up from her seat. Sienna remained seated, her fingers tapping away on the keys of the keyboard, the schedule pulled up.

"Possibly. The Friday?" She suggested, noticing that there was a spot free that afternoon. The woman smiled faintly.

"That sounds wonderful. To a good and safe partnership, Miss Khan." The lack of title was not something that she condoned, yet something about the woman screamed 'danger' at her. She trusted her senses, allowing the woman this little victory. The war was won through large victories, after all.

As she worked late into the evening, Willow not having the time to come by to get something to drink, she let her fingers type away, getting a message from Jaune. Opening it up, she read it and then growled.

' _I can't fucking deal with this shit.'_ She was NOT upset. She was NOT upset at all. He was… he was free to do as he wanted, yes. _'Fuck.'_ That her finger-claws embedded themselves into the desk and drew long gouges out of the wood was just coincidence.

* * *

He looked at Yang as she stood there in front of team RWBY's dorm room, her eyes looking at him, her tongue peering out of her mouth, her eyes nervously looking at him, as if he were someone important… _'Could she have been waiting for me? Did she want to apologize?'_

"H-hey." She said, her voice almost shy.

"Hey Yang." He said, giving her a smile. She turned a little red, as she took a deep breath.

"I was… eh…" She floundered, her voice sounding hesitant and almost shy, a far cry from the usual bluster with which she moved. "I mean, not to be a pushy girl but…" He could see that the door was on a small crack, not a single sound coming out.

"Please go out with me?! Be my boyfriend?" He blinked. _'Jaune . exe has crashed. Reboot initializing.'_

"Sure." He said, before he turned around and walked through the door that led to his dorm. The excited whoop that Yang gave made his day, even as he looked at the members of his team, who were looking at him strangely. "What?"

"Congratulations." Ren said, whilst Pyrrha remained oddly quiet, Nora remaining at her side, rubbing over her back.

"Eh, thanks." He said, not sure whether he should offer support to Pyrrha or to leave her be. He grabbed his Scroll and sent a message to Sienna first. She'd know what to do.

' **Hey Sienna… eh, how would you go on a date with a boyfriend? I guess I've got a girlfriend now.'**

Sienna would understand. She was a confident woman, after all. She was awesome and kick-ass and would have suggestions.

* * *

 **And thus, the plot thickens. Sienna is currently together with Willow, second in the lead. Yang is now eh… dating him. I was working towards this for a few chapters. Whether it'll last though…**

 **I'd like to hear your thoughts on THAT.**

 **Small excerpt from Dies Irae with the next chapter that'll be put out this friday, as I'm hashing out the 'feel' of the dimension that Dies Irae takes place in… and eh, doing some character building, as some people seem to be pointing out, which is a strength.**

 **You won't be disappointed, I think. It's only got like… 3-ish or so fics that have that as a pairing or in any shape a 'somewhat functional' relationship. As always with my stuff… It'll have an M rating because it is treading upon the boundaries of human decency. Whee.**


	19. Second Twist

**Chapter 19:Second Twist**

 **Maturity Maketh Man.**

* * *

She felt out of her element now. Looking at the message again for the seventeenth time in nearly an hour, she felt a little jittery, unsure how to formulate it. There had been frustration, yes, she knew that well. Her desk had to be replaced, her assistant giving her a look that had been fear-filled, as she had once more reminded the woman who the top tiger in this den was, yet…

' **Have you considered going to the cinema?'**

She had sent the message an hour ago, even with her own doubts and confusion working through her mind. Her human was acting strange, had even gotten a girlfriend… _'It shouldn't be like this…'_ "Mister Taurus, here to see you, ma'am." The soft sound of her assistant speaking up was enough to draw her from her musing, as she cleared her throat.

"Send him in." She said, her voice unruffled by the way that her emotions were going. She had to separate the personal from the professional, had to stop thinking about the young man who had taught her how to dance, who had featured more than once in her fantasies, solely because of the manner that he carried himself.

"Sienna." Adam said as he sat down, his hair spiky and standing right up, her eyes drolly looking at the new look, an eyebrow raised. _'Someone's become a gelded bull ever since he hooked up with that girl…'_

"Ah, Amanda wanted to see whether I'd make the spiky look work for me. She's got work this evening." The smile on his face was yet another slap to her own relational status, telling her that she still hadn't gotten her claws into a man.

"Cinder Fall, I need to know your opinions on her." She was not deterred by her own personal hang-ups, when her organization would be facing a danger from the outside. The look on Adam's face grew tenser, as he seemed to straighten himself out.

"Dangerous. Powerful. A huntress of skilled execution, with nebulous plans. Working together with Roman Torchwick." The man's succinct explanation was as it should be, her face marred by a frown, as it calculated the odds, her face tilted down as she looked at the files that laid before her.

"Have we made an official alliance, or is this off the books?" She said, though there was definitely a tone of _'this is all your fault'_ in her voice, as she looked through the files, Adam clearing his throat and then taking a deep breath.

"Off the books, of course. Your work as High Leader has pulled the organization into a new era." That was to be expected, as she knew well the burden of the command of an organization of militant Faunus. _'What do we get in return, I ask…'_

"And what are we getting out of this?" She asked, her voice sounding pressed. The faint drone of the sound cancellers was on already, leaving them mostly isolated in this respect, her whole body tensed up. "There must be some benefit that we are getting out of this."

The man coughed, as he seemed to be abashed. "Respect for the Faunus?" The statement was dubious, doubtful beyond any course. She frowned, fixing him with a look.

"Just… respect?" She paused, her eyes flashing angrily. Right now, she wanted to throw her desk at that emo bastard and make sure that he bled a little bit more for the whole embarrassment that he had caused her to have after re-evaluating the conversation that was had with Miss Fall. "All of that effort, the negative publicity, for 'respect'?"

"Well… We were going to strike fear and respect into the hearts of the people with… eh…" He looked doubtful, his face showing clearly that he was uncomfortable with the very thought of it. _'Oh fuck no… This is going to be one of those hare-brained schemes that he didn't think through… Does he REALLY only think with his dick? Fuck…'_

" _What_ exactly were you and that trumped-up hussy planning, Adam?" She growled, her eyes looking straight into his own. He flinched back and she knew that she still got the acumen to deal with this kind of bullshit.

"Something big, but she wouldn't tell me more about it than to lend her a hand with about fifty soldiers of the White Fang." He said, and her ire ignited. _'Those were LIVES, Adam. You were going to throw away all those lives, just for some petty fucking vengeance?'_

"Keep an eye on Fall. You may be dating that human girl now, so maybe keep that on the easy. Fall looks to be the type that'll be… tough." The look on Adam's face hardened, even as she knew that he was already thinking about it in the proper way that he should. He could be a good second in command, yet with his emotional instability, he could never _lead_.

"Will do. So… how are things going with Jaune?" The casual way that he added that to the conversation was enough to make her pause, her attention going to that smug-looking face, even as he shifted lightly at the sight of her changing her expression.

"In what way, Adam?" Her voice was tight and tense, as she once more recalled the suggestion that she had sent, a response that would be good for a… friend, yes. That she had taken the edge off the stress through manual application of certain womanly aides was beside the point, as well as growling out his name… yes, that was totally none of Adam's fucking business.

"Well… You two seem cozy together. Is there going to be a chance of.. y'know?" He made a crude gesture with his hand and the chain whips snapped through the air, leaving his fingertip bleeding.

"No. He has a girlfriend now." Her voice was like a fiery volcano exploding, anger that she did not know the reason of, bubbling up from within. "He's got a girlfriend and asked me whether I knew any nice places to go take her out to."

She had been tempted to suggest some of the fine dining places that were dotted around Vale, yet the budget and the waiting list for such places was way too long. "Ouch." Adam suckled on the tip of his finger, looking at her with those blue eyes of his. 'You should not delay too much… I mean, I can see that…"

"Speak another word and I will rip out your tongue and shit down that useless mouth-hole of yours, Adam Taurus." Her voice was deathly still in its frosty tone, as she knew that he was going to say the words that were forbidden to be said by anyone. Sienna Khan, the leader of the White Fang, should not be lusting after a human. Sienna Khan, High Leader, should not be going on dates with anyone who was not a Faunus. Sienna Khan, tough and rough leader of the White Fang, was not someone who would lower herself to date a weakling.

' _Fuck… Fuck, fuck, FUCK.'_ The look on Adam's face told her enough. It told her that he had accurately guessed that she just MIGHT have the smallest smidgen of interest in the blonde human. "It's okay, I had… I had to get used to him at first. It's okay if-"

"You don't understand. Kali and Ghira, they are the pacifists. Me, getting such a partner would… it would…" She could already imagine the opposition squealing for her death, for her dismissal as leader of the White Fang. She had tried so hard to make sure that the world would be a better place, to have the respect for their people, with force if need be… all to be wasted because she could not…

She could not stop thinking about a young man twelve years her junior, a young man who had taught her how to dance, whose presence lifted her spirits in a fashion that was hard to describe, who had been there during… during the time that she needed him. _'I feel like one of those women from the novels…'_

Sienna Khan was three-fourth image, one-fourth woman. She had to take the bigger scope of her actions into account at any time that she went into public. Her bodyguards had been increased in number, yet there was always something that had to go wrong… to be caught with a human… _'I am already showing favouritism by teaching him how to fight…'_

Of course, that wasn't to mean that she was easier on him than she was on others that she trained. She worked him hard, she made him gasp for breath and then released him, to do it all over again the next time that the schedule allowed it. He would be the man that she would forge from the boy… _'It would be a shame…'_

"It would show the world that Faunus and humans can work together." The suggestion was crude, yet she knew that he was not aware of the forces within the organization. Ghira, the all-beloved leader, was someone who kept the peace through his stance of pacifism, allowing like-minded people to gather and those who were not, to depart peacefully. The radical ones, who allowed violence so easily, were the ones who made up the majority of the soldiers of the White Fang, more of an organization with military power than anything else.

"It is out of the question." She said, even as she cut through the knot inside her. "It would be… different." Her lips could not continue that sentence. _'It would be different if I was just Sienna Khan. Fuck, I would just pin that blonde fucker to the bed and make sure that his hips were ground into a fine thin line of bone-juice.'_

She was not going to say such a thing out loud, as she had her manners and her decorum to maintain. "Sienna… You should talk about it at least." He said, trying to be helpful but not really being helpful. It was the crux of the matter that really impacted her. "I kno-"

"Shut up. I don't need a therapist." She was sure that it would be yet another attempt at curbing her homicidal urges, the rampant amount of racism within the community of humans… because who would ever let a Faunus become a psychiatrist or a therapist, right? They were systematically dispossessed of their own agency, throughout the days that they spent with humanity.

"I'll deal with things as they come. Sienna Khan, High Leader of the White Fang, should show solidarity with the Faunus. More important things come before her own love life." That she was admitting this much was already a serious oversight, even as Adam nodded.

"Breathe a fucking word of that to anyone and I will personally make you into beef jerky." Her voice was cold and definite on the subject, as her gaze met with his and he blanched, knowing that she would make good on that threat. _'They didn't say a thing after I hung that body out to dry… A good leader rules through fear and appreciation, after all.'_

She was a woman. She was nearly thirty and she had achieved one of the highest offices a Faunus could take. She was a leader of a movement and she had no time for silly little fancies of someone around half her age.

"As you command, High Leader." His voice was respectful, tinted with a hint of fear, knowing that he had been out of line. She smiled, even as her Scroll beeped, signalling a received message.

' **Thank you for the suggestion! So, eh… dinner afterwards? Got any suggestions?'**

She knew her duties. She could not renege on them. Fall came first… and then maybe some sort of side-project. She had no time to deal with a boy who was attached already. _'I am so going to regret this...'_

' **Take her out for pasta. Mistralian is bad for the stomach after a movie.'**

She had done her civic duty in ensuring that the boy had a good date with his new girlfriend, no matter how much she had desired that he had made a move. She was not a petty woman, unlike some others. _'I should inform Willow of the new development.'_

"Dismissed. I must convene with the Schnee about… stuff." The man looked at her with a look of worry. It was empathy that brought her to such a boil that her anger fused once more with indignation. "What?"

"You should drink a little less, Sienna… I'm worried, Kali is worried as well…" Such complaints always impeded her own manner of functioning. "I'll… I'll leave now. Have a good day, Sienna."

"Adam. I… " She looked at him as he froze in the motion of getting up. "I'll try, alright?" She said, making a compromise. _'I need it… A good stiff drink won't hurt to take the edge off.'_

He left her to her solitude, even as she selected the contact details for Willow, spotting three messages that had been left by the woman. Scrolling through them, she sighed out loud.

' **Up for getting together tonight? We've got to talk about knights and castles.'**

She could see the message be received by the device of the woman, a response tapped already by the time that it took for her to get the bottle out of the drawer and uncap it, pouring a small amount into the glass and then waiting for a moment, looking at the liquid as it sat there, before adding some juice to it to dull the acrid taste. _'It's not bad to have a little reinforcement for the day…'_

' **I'll be there at nine. Dull board meetings… Bah.'**

They were sort-of friends now. They drank together, they talked about the same boy together, they had fun together… sort of.

* * *

He was nervous as he stood in front of the door, waiting for the girl that'd so boldly asked him out to come out. He wasn't the best at deciphering the clues that girls left him, no doubt due to always being the one that had been selected for the 'girl' part due to his sisters needing to have some entertainment.

Pyrrha had been awfully subdued this morning, when she had come to train with him. Her eyes had been hollow and tired-looking, a little red around the rim as well, though she assured him that it was just a little bit of makeup error. She'd clammed up even more when he said that he didn't think she'd be using makeup, being a pretty young woman as she was. _'I don't know what the issue was with that… Doesn't every girl want to be called pretty? Saphron said so… so…'_

"Just a minute!" Yang's voice came from behind the door and he felt a little awkward, the hoodie that he regularly wore having been dismissed for something that was a little more 'in tune' with the style of the people these days. One of Willow's little presents, having gone shopping with him during one of the afternoons that he had free.

The door opened and Ruby peered out, her eyebrows shooting up, a dusting of red appearing on her cheeks. "H-hey Jaune." She said, a shy smile on her face. He smiled back at her, the colour turning even redder. "N-nice clothes."

The shirt wasn't anything to complain about, as it fit him well, showing the definition of the muscles that were slowly growing there. The price he hadn't heard a single thing about, Willow having flashed her card at the cashier and done away with it, shrugging at the expense. "Yeah, they were a gift from a friend of mine." Ruby's head disappeared, even as Weiss wormed her way past her, giving him a quick look and then… looking again. Judging with that look as if he were fine Atlesian cuisine.

"You… you clean up well." She said, in what was supposedly a compliment. "A neat cut, with some of the upper-class brands…" She licked her lips, a gesture that did not escape his attention. Her gaze lingered a little at the pants, knowing that they probably sagged a bit. He tugged them up and she inhaled, a touch too deep for his liking. "A… decent look. I would say I was jealous of Yang for having such a well-dressed boyfriend…"

She paused for a fraction of an instant, before she flushed. "B-but I'm not. W-who would ever w-want to date such a scruffy-looking blonde? S-surely not me." Her cheeks were red, as she looked everywhere but at him. "No, unfathomable. The day a Schnee takes an interest, I will declare my eternal love for my partner."

' _I guess that she's going to be declaring her love for Ruby pretty soon.'_ He knew that Willow's offer had been done out of the loneliness that she felt, the woman's real intentions more to forge something of a connection with him. _'Willow isn't so bad… though the lack of messages has bothered me a little. She usually is right around the corner with a comment about how the wine tasted badly, or how they made a mess of her schedule again today…'_

"Aww, I love you too Weiss! You're my bestie!" The cheerful tune of Ruby's voice was an enlightenment once more, as he felt a smile tug on his lips, his eyes glinting faintly as he watched the two act. _'True partners, even if one is reluctant to do the affectionate things whilst the other one relishes in them.'_

He noticed that he'd zoned out for an instant as Weiss said something. "She will be right out." The succinct words were enough, as Weiss passed him by, her gaze lingering a touch longer on him than before. It was an odd thing that he hadn't noticed before, yet there was a certainty to him now. _'You can do this.'_

"So, waiting on me for a while, boyfriend?" Yang's teasing tone came from his left, and he turned back to the door to see Yang half-way through the threshold, her eyes warm and wonderful. "Gimme a kiss, Jaune."

She certainly was forward, even though it had only been thirty hours since she'd asked for him to become her boyfriend… or something about that. She had acted as if it were completely normal, her team keeping him at arm's length, as far as he could see in their interactions. He wasn't a complete moron, he'd sat through enough drama's to notice when girls started to act slightly differently. _'They don't have…'_

What lacked in them was something that he couldn't quite grasp. He pressed his lips delicately to her own, feeling her melt against him, her lips pressed lightly, yet there was… something off. "Ah… my boyfriend's given me a kiss! This princess is saved!" The wink she gave him brought to mind his sister, who could be a bit of a flirt at times, yet there was more to it than that.

"Up for our date?" She ringed her arm with his own, giving a look back at her team, Ruby looking a little off. _'Maybe she's just a bit…'_ He wondered briefly whether the girl could be jealous, but dismissed that thought immediately. _'Nah, there's no way that they'd be into me. Yang… Yang must have teased them with her dating me.'_

"Yep. Don't wait up on us, Ruby! We're going out on the town, and your sis is gonna get lucky!" There was obviously something about those words that held more meaning to Ruby than it would to the other occupants of the room, as a low 'Yaaaannnng!' came from the younger girl, a smile on his face as he watched the play. He wondered briefly where Blake was, as she seemed to be absent. _'I guess they weren't in a relationship… if Yang went as far as to go for me.'_

The trip down to Vale was spent talking, alongside with trying to keep his food inside his mouth. His Scroll pinged a few times with new messages, even as he began to make sure that he wouldn't be vomit boy 2.0, his eyes looking right at the wall. "And so, I was like 'you want some of this, buster?' and then I punched his lights out."

"Very fun." He said, even though he wondered whether she would like to talk about something else than fighting. "So… What's your main hobby?" The question seemed to have floored her, a look on her face that was hard to see otherwise, as she looked thoughtful.

"Haven't really had much of a thought about that… Hmmm, exercise certainly is one. Gotta keep THESE babies looking as fit as they can." Her outfit was a jacket with a crop top that really outlined her generous assets. A short skirt and what seemed to be some sort of leather shorts below it, completed the attire. If he had to compare sizes, Yang definitely was in the upper class if one went for that sort of thing. Sienna really compared badly to Yang, yet there was a certain appeal to both.

"I like dancing… Though don't tell my sisters that, they made me rehearse every dance under the sun." There was the faint twitch on her face, as she smiled. "I also like reading comics."

"That's cool. Comics, that is. I don't know what dancing does for ya, aside for being… not too useful." The dismissal stung just a little bit, but that was just how she was. She liked results, quick. She did not have the broader view… the one that allowed people to take in the full scope and make a decision.

"It's great for keeping the balance. Most Faunus would have no issue with some of the trickier dances due to their own state of balance." The little tidbit was something that Sienna had enlightened him about after he had become her steady dance teacher.

"Oh, great." She didn't sound interested in the slightest in that bit of information, even though it was pretty novel to hear. "So… What're we doing, hotshot?" She grabbed his hand, giving it a little squeeze, seemingly to affirm to him that she was present and he smiled. It was nice being touched. ' _For a girlfriend, you'd go to any length.'_

"The cinema. There's a showing of the Grimminator 210, I figured it'd be a nice movie to go to." He had quizzed Ruby on what Yang enjoyed, as far as movies went, and he supposed that it would be a nice gesture.

"Ooh, cheeky! Having me in the dark, groping for the popcorn…" her tongue flicked over her lips, which were a cherry red. It was an enticing sight, yet she squeezed that hand a little more. "Maybe you'll get lucky, Jaune." She winked and he felt a thrill of excitement go through him, even as he took a slow inhale and exhale, sure that it might've been his imagination, imagining Yang actually going as far as to stroke over the back of his hand for an instant.

They walked towards one of the larger cinema's, feeling awkward, or at least he was, as they held hand. Yang's hand was small and feminine, the bracelets that adorned her wrists like curious points. "Like them? They're Ember Cecilia in their shifted form."

The news that she was always armed and ready took him aback, even as he caught the expression on her face. She was curious as she gazed at him, a certain reflection bringing out the purple in her eyes… and for an instant, her hair turned to black, her eyes turned crimson… and he returned to reality once more. "That's amazing."

It was amazing to be walking around with kick-ass weapons all day, yet it was also something that made him worried that in the event that they had to fight… Yang wasn't one of the people who thought of consequences, after all. "Yeah… I guess they are, haha." She turned a little redder in the face, even as her gaze went down. "I never go out unarmed."

He could imagine the reasons why. She was a pretty young woman. A woman had to be aware of different things than a man, especially if she was a pretty woman. "Well, eh…" He tried to come up with a suitable response to that, her nudge in his side enough, as she grinned.

"That's a joke, Jaune. I don't always wear Ember Cecilia." The spark in her eyes was there, as she leaned closer and gave his cheek a kiss. "But you've gotta work harder to see me like that, boyfriend." She whispered in his ear, that soft voice enough to give him images that were indecent.

"O-oh?" He stammered back, sure that she would be joking with that, a cocky grin on her face, with her eyes meeting his own.

"Yep. I ain't a girl who lets herself get screwed on the first date. You've gotta work for the pleasure." The confidence with which she spoke was something that he pricked through immediately. He had heard boasts before, he had heard the supreme confidence that he would be giving a woman something more… and he didn't think it suited Yang well.

It reeked of trying to be older than she really was, more confident than she really felt… and it matched not with the Yang that he knew. He kept his silence though, knowing that it might just be nerves, even as she hugged him a little closer. "Two tickets to Grimminator 210, please." He asked, paying for the movie tickets with some of the Lien that he'd held in reserve for these occasions.

"Ooh, you want to get some snacks too? Let's get some snacks!" She was exuberant, her behaviour mimicking Ruby's for a moment, a faint smile on his face as she dashed towards the sweets. _'Cute…'_ She bent over, that fine rump of hers on display as she checked out the inventory of the stall, making a few minute squeaks and squeals, even as she selected whatever treats she desired, as well as a big cup full of soda.

He only got a small bucket of popcorn for himself, with a small cup of soda for his own use. She might burn through more calories than he did, so he didn't comment on it, yet he knew well that it was not something that he'd prefer. Sure, he would pay for it all, but…

She seemed to be so immature, despite her body. There was exuberance and cheer and happiness, yet it all… it all just seemed to be so… Yeah. Not fully grown.

"That'll be twenty-five Lien, sir." He paid without really commenting on it, even as Yang hummed a pleased little tune as she carried her treats towards their seat, the smell of stale popcorn and spilt soda growing stronger, yet he didn't comment on it.

"Here, go and take a bite. I promise that it'll taste good." Some sort of chocolate bar was offered to him, Yang's brilliant smile enough to make him taste it, taking a bite from the chocolate and feeling the creamy goodness explode over his taste-buds, the taste of caramel that had been added only gave more of a taste explosion.

"Hmmhmmm." He mumbled, even as he chewed on it. There was a nutty taste as well, as she pulled the chocolatey treat back, munching on it, her eyes looking a little distant. "So… How do you think about pasta?"

"Sounds good, Jaune." She said, even as she took another bite of the chocolate bar, her eyes looking at the screen. "You've got all sorts of neat ideas, don't you?" Her hand switched the chocolate bar to the other one, seizing his own and her fingers brushed over it, an intimate touch that made him swallow. _'She's your girlfriend, so she's allowed to do these things… right?'_

Her expression was a little nervous, yet that was normal, he supposed. "I try. If I don't have any ideas, I'll ask my friends or my sisters." He wasn't sure whether he should tell her, yet there was no harm in telling her the truth. "Ren and Nora are dating, so…"

They made an adorable couple, Ren was even nice enough to take a picture of him after he'd gotten out of the shower as a progress picture, stating that Nora had wanted to see his development. Surely that was as innocent as it was, they were a team, right? Team members had to be comfortable around each other, even if they were naked.

"Oh? Have they commented on the two of us dating?" Yang sounded curious, even as the question went into the 'prying' territory that he had been well-aware of ever since his sisters had subjected him to such a thing whenever he had shown some interest in a girl.

"Not really, aside from a 'Good job' and 'I knew you could get a good girl!'. Nora was more enthusiastic than Ren about that, somehow." Yang gave a snort of laughter, as she shook her head.

"Ooh, it's starting." She said, looking at the screen. The advertisement seemed to be playing loud enough, as things grew darker in the cinema, ready to play the movie that they had come to see.

* * *

"So… He's got a girlfriend." Willow's voice was tight-lipped, even as the third shot of liquor went down, her eyes locked with her own, the bottle on her desk about half-way emptied. They sat together on the couch of her office, Willow leaning against her slightly, the smell of her fancy perfume irritating her nostrils, yet she did not comment.

"He did. The blonde girl with the massive tits." The picture had been shown to her more than a few times, Willow taking pride in her daughter's achievements of getting on a team, the woman taking a deep breath and then sighing.

"Did he sound happy?" She asked, even as she looked up to the ceiling. The look of calculation on her features was enough to clue Sienna in that the woman was racing through her thoughts, trying to come to a suitable conclusion that would sate both of their needs. _'Perhaps she'll caution him… Perhaps not.'_

"My daughter likes him as well." The woman said, the news unexpected, as it wasn't really known to her yet. "He… He chastised her. Girls can be so silly with their crushes." Sienna did not point out the hypocrisy with that statement, as she knew that she herself may have some minor infatuation with the young man herself.

"Silly girls, eh." Sienna said, Willow and her sharing a mirthless laugh. _'We're mocking ourselves just as much...'_

"We're both silly, Si." The nickname was short and to the point, her voice sounding like it was only egging on the fact once more, with the whole breadth of knowledge that Willow had in certain specifics on display. "Desiring a young man who could be our son… Well, more my son than yours, but…"

Willow licked her lips. "Imagine it. That body of his, working at the pool, dressed in only the tightest of swim briefs. Sweat dripping off that manly form and his blonde hair just sticking to his skin." Sienna was imagining it now that she spoke of it.

"Striding out in something tight, something that shows a lot of skin and just seizing his chin and making him look at you, whispering 'I've got another bit of a pool for you to clean up, boy' in the sexiest tone that you can muster." Willow's voice was good at sketching out a hot scenario, her mind already working to put herself in that position, her tongue subconsciously licking over her lips and then taking a deep breath. _'This is going in the 'hot fantasy' category.'_

"Slipping into the Jacuzzi with him and then dragging those swim briefs down, pushing yourself right in that lap and then grinding against him." It might be the alcohol in her system, yet her breathing grew heavier. _'Fuck.'_

"Now… Imagine me doing that whilst you get to watch." Sienna growled deep in the back of her throat. _'That's not fair!'_ She watched the woman, even as she drank another sip of her drink, the sultry and seductive grin on her lips enough to draw the attention from her words to her form.

"Aww, the pussycat wants to join in too… Can you imagine it? The two of us tag-teaming that hot little blonde body? You want it as much as I do." The words were undeniably spoken with an edge, and she did not refute them. Her desires for the young man… for it was indeed that she desired him, out of some sort of primal urge to take and possess, or perhaps some sort of kink that she didn't know she had, was there.

"But…" She said, sure to keep her internal commentary to herself. It was the yoke of being the High Leader of the White Fang that kept her feelings bottled up inside.

"Your position, right?" Willow guessed, the woman nodding a little herself. "I know that feeling. I could probably get away with it because my position is different from yours but…" The woman sighed, as she looked down.

"It really is a big fucking mess, isn't it? Why did we have to grow up so far apart and yet are such great friends?" The woman's words surprised her, as an honest look was directed at her. That wasn't usual. "I see you as a friend, Sienna. You've been a drinking buddy, a good listener and someone who I can actually respect in the art of doing business… So we're friends." The admission was enough, even though Sienna had somewhat thought of the woman as a friend on a similar level as Kali.

"I should be helping you chase down that boy and make you fuck him like he's never been fucked." She added, Sienna feeling heat flush her cheeks as she imagined Willow doing just that. "But that's only if I get a turn. Sharing is caring, girlfriend." She grinned, though Sienna knew just as well that the woman would not hesitate to steal her march if she let up for a second. "Unless of course, I get to him first."

' _There's the Willow Schnee that I know.'_ The woman was enough for most people to worry about if she appeared, yet Sienna felt strangely at ease with the way that the woman handled herself. "Don't dream about it, Schnee." She felt the fires of challenge rise up inside her, as she felt the burning need inside her curl and twist.

"Is that a challenge, Khan? You know… Schnee always win." The gauntlet was thrown, even as Willow Schnee's blue eyes sparkled dangerously, her own orange eyes holding a similar challenge.

"Your daughter might outperform you in that art, Willow… Don't wait for him to be claimed by her." The woman stiffened slightly, knowledge of that little bit being something that obviously hurt. _'As long as…'_

She groaned. "This is never going to work… I've got to keep into account the political edges…" She nearly lost hope… and the boy had a girlfriend now. A girlfriend who was, in the chest department, her superior. Who would go for a C when you could get double D? _'Curse you, stupid genetics!'_

"Let's drink a little and forget about this, alright?" Willow suggested, Sienna giving a sigh. _'Here's that suggestion from Adam going up in smoke…'_

The buzz was like a warm embrace, as she felt the alcohol burn through her system, the pleasant haze enough to dull the heartache that she felt.

' _Love is overrated… and it sucks.'_

* * *

Yang smiled at him as she entered the dorm room that belonged to team RWBY. For a first date, things had gone… moderately. Dinner conversation outside of things that involved physical roughhousing and Huntsman life did not really take off. She was attentive, liked to crack a joke or two and flirt but it did not really hit him. Not that she wasn't funny, but the dynamic between the two of them was off. He wanted to believe in her and make her his world but something still bothered him.

' _And well…'_ She was a pretty girl, of course. That was beyond a doubt true, yet… he didn't quite feel the same click with her as he did with others. Ruby was his friend, and he was… definitely not going to break up that friendship in this way, as it would feel sleazy, but Yang… Yang just seemed to think about herself, first and foremost. It always was "Oh, I did that." or "I've done something like that, it was a riot." and it... bugged him somewhat. He opened the door to his dorm, looking at Nora as she stood there, holding a bouquet of roses.

"Hey Jaune, I got some flowers… They're for your girlfriend." Nora offered the bouquet of red roses, a universal sign of love, Ren looking a little constipated, as if he were trying to hold himself in, Pyrrha being absent. He smiled at them in good spirits, as if they knew what their leader needed.

"Thanks, guys, I'm happy to know that you've got my back." Nora winked at him, her tongue licking over her lips for some reason.

"Sure. It was the least we could do. I mean, what girl doesn't want to have her date end with her being given some roses, huh? You can pay us back the Lien later." The bouquet fit nicely in his hand, the bucket that they'd kept it in sat at the side of the dorm. Nora had obviously prepared for this.

"Of course." It was a noble sacrifice to make, even as he walked towards team RWBY's dorm, knowing that they hadn't locked the door just yet.

"And yeah, we had fun. So, take THAT, Weiss." The voice of Yang was a little louder, even as he pushed the door open, his girlfriend standing there, the jacket now on the peg, looking at Weiss with a challenging look. "I've got a boyfriend now and you don't. You snooze and then you lose, Weiss. Gotta seize the advantage whilst you've got it."

' _Am… Am I just a challenge for her to complete? Was the teasing just the setup, with me being the idiot who fell for it? Has she ever considered me to be a boyfriend, or was I just an 'experience'? Am I just a trophy?'_ "Yang?" Ruby spoke up, noticing him with the bouquet of flowers in his hand, the elder sister turning to her younger sister.

"What? You jealous as well that I snapped him up, Lil' sis?" He took a deep breath. It was noticeably less steady than he had imagined it to be. _'Don't cry. A man doesn't cry.'_

She was just like her mother. Wilful and selfish, unwilling to even budge on an inch and take all that she could get. Raven Branwen, that blasted woman, had been sending him all sorts of messages about taking her daughter as the mother of his children, had threatened him upon their first meeting… and it was all coming to this. Selfishness. A trophy to be won. _'Just like...'_

He had seen it happen to his middle sister, Camellia, who had been played like a fiddle by a guy as a prize to be won. The wrath of Vivian, the eldest, had been terrible to behold, stretching the boundaries of what was acceptable, yet the guy had slinked off like a rat, never to bother the family again. The abortion was something that they had sworn not to speak of again within the family, Saphron and Camellia going on a lengthy trip afterwards to get some fun back into Camellia's life. It had taken a large amount of time before Camellia had been able to smile again, even though he had never heard of the guy's name who had hurt his sister so. That was kept hush-hush between the family, and he had been young enough to not bother too much with that. Camellia occasionally wistfully looked at Adrian, even though she kept her thoughts to herself. She looked the most like him, with her hair as short as it was. She'd taken to styling it in a wave-curl, a little bob-cut yet with its own twist.

His expression must be fiercer than he intended, as Ruby's face paled, Weiss spotted him and her eyes went wider. "Yang." He spoke her name with finality, as that door had closed already. _'Don't cry. Keep together… don't cry, even though you want to. Even if she's done you wrong... show her your strength.'_

She turned around, noticing the flowers that he had in his hands, the roses smelling wonderful, even to an outsider's eye. "Oh, for me? You shouldn't have…" She grabbed them, seizing them… _'As if they are already hers. Brash and unthinking of anything except for her own pleasure…'_ His mood was growing darker, and it showed on his face. He took a moment, as the emotions welled up inside him. _'Just like her... Damn it, when will you LEARN, Jaune?'_

"Yang, you are just like your mother, selfish and cruel to those who give you their heart. I really... thought I was more than just another thing to brag about. Good job fooling me, ha-ha." He got that sentence out, before he turned around, nearly running out of the room and back into his own. "Lock the door." He said to Nora, his voice rougher and more commanding than he'd ever sounded before even as the emotions came and he started to hyperventilate, the tears starting to fall from his eyes, as he threw himself onto his bed, curling up into a comfortable position.

"Jaune? Jaune?" The door rattled as Yang banged on it, Nora and Ren looking at him for a moment and then deciding, as one, to do the best they could. The door clicked shut with an audible click, the 'I didn't mean it like that, please hear me out!' coming from behind the door muted, even as he sobbed.

' _Am I just a trophy? A pet project that they can just discard? Why does it always turn out like this?'_

He heard Pyrrha come in nearly an hour later, her voice sounding soft, as she brushed her hand through his hair, a calming and comforting manner about her. "Want to tell me what is the matter?"

He told her. Ren and Nora had been quiet, silent for the majority of the time that he laid there on his bed, yet he told Pyrrha and them everything. He told her about the date, about the encounter with Yang's mom, the constant messages to 'seize Yang' and the thing that he heard when he'd come to surprise her with the roses.

"She isn't right for you, Jaune. You deserve someone who loves you for you… Someone like m- Ren, Nora and me." The gentle rubbing of his scalp and his hair was maternal and warm, and he cuddled a little closer to her, letting himself enjoy her presence, a smile on her face, her green eyes warm and affectionate.

"Everything will be alright." He hoped that her faith would not be misplaced.

 _'Who would ever love a loser like me?'_

* * *

 **And there we have their first date. For people who asked 'why would she ask him out', the answer is pretty simple. Team RWBY had a chat about appropriate actions and Weiss and Yang said that they kind of liked him, so Yang was the first to cut ahead, saying that she liked him and whether he'd be her boyfriend. She's not known for thinking things through, boastful of her skills and her talents at times and confident in the extreme about her own things… so it was not a great match-up for the Jaune of A dance of tigers.**

 **As someone in the reviews said that the chapter felt a bit rushed... which is the truth. The uploaded version that went up last night was mostly the Sienna and Jaune parts, with the Yang and Jaune part having been half-finished. Apologies for that, I had gotten my document versions mixed up. More about Camellia Arc in the next chapter. Guest, whoever you are, thanks for pointing that out, but I was already busy on the correct version getting uploaded! Some guesses were correct, though! There are things in Jaune's background that will come into play.(Though I probably should not write 2 chapters within a week's time for The dance of tigers.)**

 **The path of love is full of canyons and perils... and he's going to be burned for a while. Yang and he... yeah, there's friction between the two of them. Team RWBY's reaction to that in the next chapter. Still 2 weeks until the Belladinner in-universe.**

* * *

 **Here's a section of Dies Irae, to be uploaded on April 5** **th** **.**

"Of course, mama." The words were so gentle, yet he seemed hesitant.

"It'll be okay… Jaune." Her voice was like the soft lure of death, the delicate seduction of those who had come before. Hesitation showed on his face, as he looked at the pale finger, the rich red blood clotting together into a single drop. _'Enough to destroy a kingdom…'_

He did so, and the moment that his lips wrapped around her finger and he sucked, things changed. Skin turned paler than regular, and the teeth bit down into her flesh, even as her other arm wrapped around him. "Hush, my beautiful child. Mama is here." The words were of comfort, uttered to the young man upon her lap, the yearning for a child to hold there, maternal instincts aware. "It will be okay."

 **A tale of motherhood, conflict and redemption, tragic and yet beautiful. A mother, bereft of her offspring, a husband who grows distant, his stance on things weak in her eyes. Survival of the fittest.**

* * *

 **Leave a review if you like! I always like to see what people think of the latest chapter... Because it makes me smile to see people's reactions, whilst I know what the rest of the story's gonna have in store... which is quite a damn lot, I'll say!**

 **Until next time!**


	20. Errant Stride

**Chapter 20: Errant stride**

 **Thank you all for sticking with this story, 20 chapters in! Makes a person happy to see that it's got 900+ followers, about 600 favourites and people who are all enthusiastic about the stuff that's going on inside of it!**

* * *

He huddled the covers that he'd had wrapped around himself, the bed feeling like a good distraction, even as he looked at the worried face of Ruby that appeared from one of the openings, as she tried to coax him out. _'I'll just remain here... nobody will miss me. I'm just someone for a bit of fun... perhaps they'll just take me out when they need someone else to make fun of. That's what they always do, get the Jaune and make him the laughingstock.'_

"Come on Jaune..." She tried, yet he would have none of that **.**

"Go away!" He bit at her, Ruby giving a soft whine.

"She didn't mean it like that, Jaune... I mean, not precisely, but... Can't you forgive her?" Ruby pleaded, those silver eyes looking at him with an expression that would be enough to pull him out of his funk on normal days.

"What if some hot guy asked you out and then said to his friends 'Oh, I bagged her before you bagged her, ha ha?'? Do you know how that feels?" He asked her, even as the emotions came again, a slow breath turning swifter.

"That's-" Ruby started.

"All my life, I've had seven sisters in the same school as me for at least two or three years. If someone bullied me, big sis came and beat them up. I've always been the geek, the dork... the one who had been unable to get a date because he likes sissy things." The words came, even as he pulled the covers a little tighter, forming a burrito of bedding.

"Jaune, it-" She tried again, but he scoffed.

"And when you've had a decent date, with one of the hottest girls that walks around on Beacon and she just goes 'Oh, look at what I did, I beat you', just how sincere could it be? She laughed at my suggestion of hobbies, and I admit, dancing is somewhat lame, but that doesn't mean that she should just... It just feels like I'm..." He didn't want to say it in the crudest of fashions possible, but his mental representation of guts and courage, represented in the form of mini-Sienna, minus the attitude, kicked him in the rump.

"I'm some sort of guy that she can date for a while and then dump, like all the other girls do. I've heard my sisters talk about how other girls date men. They'll date a guy for a while, then they fuck em and then poof, it's right to number 2, 3 or 4. I am NOT just some fuckbuddy that she can discard when it's not something she likes." There was a sound, probably Nora making some sort of adjustment to her weapon, even as Ruby sighed.

"She doesn't... I mean, I don't _THINK_ she does that stuff. I never asked, but eh... I think she's still a virgin... maybe?" Ruby sounded doubtful, yet Jaune remained unconvinced.

"She shouldn't have made it a goal to date me and then gloat about it. That's just... mean." Ruby's face appeared as she tugged open the blankets, looking at his face. Silver eyes looked concerned at him, as he seemed to be the focus of her attention, those eyes a little moist.

"Just... talk to her, alright?" The girl tried, yet he felt stubborn. She wasn't going to make it easier on him by just confronting the issue.

"What if I don't want to?" He said, Ruby's face emotional, even as he tried to shut the world out once more, the feeling of the emotions growing heavier again, as he realized that confronting Yang would bring another moment... and the messages on his Scroll had been silent for a while, after pinging a whole lot.

"Please... Just talk things out, alright? I don't want my friend and my sister to be mad at each other." She said, her voice pleading, the words heavy as they hung in the air, her voice sounding like it wanted to have him make up with her sister again. "Things have been tense all night last night."

' _Probably because she was gushing about how good she's had it...'_ His mind whispered to him, as he looked at her. "I'll talk to her." How Ruby had gotten into their room was still mostly a mystery, though he supposed that Nora might have played a role into actually getting Ruby inside. It was just like her to do such a thing, even with the world feeling like shit that he didn't want to handle.

"Good! We'll be getting things ready for you two to chat, alright?" The smile on Ruby's face was enough, even as he climbed out of his bed, her cheeks flushing red as she saw what he was wearing... or rather what he wasn't.

"Yourclothesohgodididn'tlookimsosorryjauneohgod." He shrugged, knowing that he'd only been wearing a pair of boxers and a nightshirt, his hand brushing through his hair, even as he tried to not think about the way that he had been... sort of dumped? Yang was a great girl, a happy girl, one who smiled... yet...

' _Yeah...'_ The interference of her mother in her life's affairs no doubt made him less than willing to engage in something deeper than friendship. "Could you hand me my Scroll?"

He checked the Scroll messages, noticing that there was one from Willow and one from Sienna. He didn't click the video part of the message, knowing that it probably was some sort of racy thing that he'd probably atomize Ruby with, as the lady was more than fond of showing the goods that she had to him in order to entice him.

' _Oh dear...'_ The messages from Yang's mom had a few more messages added. He clicked the picture, a facial photograph of Yang's mom popped up on the Scroll. "This is Yang's mom, right?"

Ruby looked at the picture and blinked a few times. "Yeeesss... Oh, you know her mother?" The look on her face was dubious as if she didn't quite believe it.

"I'd rather not." He said, as he read the messages.

' **I know what you did.'**

' **You will pay the price.'**

"..." He could only give muted silence as he looked at the messages, before turning to Ruby and giving a low groan. "On a scale of one to 'really really dangerous', how high is Yang's mom rated?"

"Eh... pretty dangerous? I think she's like... Uncle Qrow, so that'd put her in the top rankings..." Ruby's head was still angled away, so he sighed deeply.

"Oh damn." He would've used a stronger curse, but the words 'You will pay the price' hit him. _'Why do I always run into the batty moms? Can't there be ONE normal mom who'll act happy and not... weird?'_

"Alright... Give me a moment to get dressed and I'll follow you along to Yang..." He wasn't going to just let things end like this, if he could help it. "It's the least I could do..."

' _You're going to be speaking to one of the first girls that asked you out when you were studying to become a Huntsman... A girl who is fit, who has a nice pair of breasts, whose attitude is very forward and...'_ Here he paused. What things did they have in common, really? They were both Huntsmen, training to be real ones... Yang liked to exercise, but he was... not inclined in such a manner. He didn't like to pound away at the weights or sweat all day long, like she did.

' _It might've been a mistake to say yes... To immediately start caring so much.'_ He would try to do better than that the next time some girl asked him out. _'Stupid... I always get_ He got himself dressed, and turned to face Ruby, who had been looking at him for a while, her head tilting to the side, a smile appearing on her face, as if she had seen something nice. "What're you smiling at?"

"You're gonna talk to Yang, you two are going to be friends again and we'll be right back on track to being friends again!" The optimism in her was endearing, even as he caught the look from Pyrrha, Nora and Ren nowhere to be found.

"Can Pyrrha come too?" He inquired, even as he realized the potential for dangerous things, if Yang decided to press things to a level. She was dangerous... and he might need his partner. Girls were weird when they were going to break up with their boyfriend, after all.

"Of course, Jaune." The smile on Pyrrha's lips was gentle, supporting and most of all, very warm. It made him remember the time last night when he had been emotional, feeling hurt and somewhat betrayed by the sudden switch that Yang had flipped on his emotions. _'If it wasn't for Pyrrha...'_

He dealt with the feelings differently than most, more emotional on the field of love than most. It might have been due to having only sisters around that had made his own self-image different, or it might be due to the absence of his father and him having to take over some of the tasks around the household. Pyrrha had understood him, for a moment... at the very least. His team understood him better than Team RWBY could, due to the closeness that they cultivated. They had faith in him.

"You know... Yang isn't really feeling good about things." Ruby said, her eyes looking down at the ground, as if she had been thinking about this really hard for a moment. "She's feeling bad about it, because she really does like you."

"She's got a funny way of showing it, boasting to Weiss about having a date." Jaune threw back at her, Ruby wincing.

"Alright, she's kind of like me sometimes..." The admission was enough, even as he looked at Pyrrha. She was already in the process of tidying up to go with him, and he pulled the shirt a little tighter.

"Awkward?" He guessed, Ruby's nod coming like an addition to the current mood that was set, even as he looked at Pyrrha, who smiled encouragingly.

"I'll be right there with you, Jaune." She said, even as she glanced at the clock. "Let's train a little more later on, shall we?" She had such great suggestions, always willing to help out, that it made him feel lighter.

"Yeah, sure... lead the way, Ruby." He said, as he looked at her, the rose petals that floated after her as she made for the door, the sound of the door opening like the knell of death to him, as he confronted the girl who had broken his emotional dam.

' _Time to be a man..._ ' The thought was hollow, as he felt like he didn't know how to deal with the emotions that it evoked. He had the examples of how a man should act from his grandfather and father and great-grandfather, but did that really mean that he would be able to look his now ex-girlfriend... if they could even be called that, in the eyes?

* * *

Willow looked at the readout on her Scroll, the limousine carrying her along without any issue, her fingers tapping away on the screen to add an additional clause to the contract, before sending it to the office. Her eyes laid upon the readouts for another minute or so, before she opened the messaging service, typing a short message.

' **How're things with your girlfriend?'**

She sent the message off to the blonde young man, knowing that Sienna was keeping her silence. Sienna's behaviour was predictable, as long as you knew the major clues to her personality. The cues that she gave off, the irritable nature that flared up even worse, it all made for a person who was hard to read if you were not sufficiently close enough to her... but it was her own gambit that she was working now.

They could be called friends now, with their closeness still working to make the effort of appearing distant, the excuse of 'hashing out details of White Fang-Schnee Dust Corporation' still working. Of course, they did not only get drunk... But talks were always a tricky thing. That she spent nearly seven to nine hours in the same office as Sienna Khan and they drank quite a lot was both to the benefit of the company as well as Sienna, who was a shrewd negotiator.

The proposed plans for White Fang and Schnee Dust Company cooperation for better labour rights had been outright rejected by her husband, yet that was not the full goal. She was spearheading this initiative and well... Sienna Khan was alright, for a Faunus. She was more than alright, given the way that she always managed to segue herself into the proper mindset that was needed for talks.

"Driver, could you drive me to the main office?" She saw that there was an addendum in her schedule, something that seemed to have cropped up recently, some error or the other... but she wasn't going to let that stop her.

The Scroll screen showed a picture of the young man who had snatched her interest, her tongue licking over the lips that had been painted a delicate shade of purple for today's meetings, the variance in her lipstick being something that she prided herself upon, the dark blue outfit accentuating her features once more, the purple adding that dash of interest to her that would be hard to banish without ruining the outfit. _'Willow Schnee, in control always...'_

She got out of the car nearly twenty minutes later, the driver opening the door for her, as was his duty. She walked carefully over the pavement towards the main office, where the clerks undoubtedly were finishing up their weekly load, the Sunday sun staring down at her from high above. "Miss Schnee?" The doorman asked, to which she gave a nod and flashed the card over the keycard reader, the door starting to work. "Thank you, ma'am."

He was cute in a certain way, yet he could not top the blonde young man. "Miss Schnee, your office is prepared with your workload. Thank you so much for gracing us with your company. It really is an honour." The bootlicking was growing tedious, her voice a soft 'tssk', as she moved through the building's foyer into the elevator, selected the floor she was wanted at and then waited during the dull elevator music to have the doors open up again.

Stepping into the office that had been reserved for her, she noticed the stack of papers that had been stacked high enough to lend her some sense of despair, even as she settled into the leather chair. "Miss Schnee, your husband on line one." The secretary announced, and she shuddered internally.

"Put him on the big screen." She said, her eyes looking at the big screen that hung on the side of the wall, her husband's image appearing there, as if magic had summoned the man there himself. "And to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" She said, her voice sounding like it were bothered by other things, as he looked at her with his cold and distant eyes.

"You have been making a lot of proposals to the White Fang." The man stated the obvious as per the usual. She squared her shoulders, her eyes already calculating how long it would take for her to get her husband off her back.

"Khan is a tenacious little animal." She said, even as she filled a glass with the richest vodka that she could find, the man's eyes looking at her like another business asset, the man's lips pressed tightly together. "Why do you mention it? I am sure that it won't impact your revenue."

The man inhaled, his moustache quivering. She rather preferred the smooth-shaven look of Jaune over the moustache that her husband cultivated out of a need to stay 'cultured'. It made him much more... approachable, really.

"It was reported to me. Perhaps we should do something about Khan." She frowned, knowing that 'having someone do something about someone' was a code for hiring a hitman. _'Sometimes...'_ She had the urge to be petty and cruel to her husband, yet now... things got personal.

"Khan is giving more ground. She has a few sore spots that I'm trying to exploit." It wasn't a lie to say that. Sienna was weak in several spots, mainly her inability to admit her honest feelings unless she was thoroughly drunk.

"Make sure to work on her a bit more then, woman. You're not showing any results despite working on Khan for nearly a month." Her husband, as eloquent as he could be, was always a man for results.

"Get Khan on our side and we get the White Fang. Belladonna would have been optimal for the projected market growth, yet we have to keep into consideration the amount of time that Faunus would need an adjustment in their attitudes compared to our reputation of earlier." She was making a dig at his labour practices, yet the man was shrewd enough to see through it. Her Scroll beeped and she checked the message.

' **We broke up. She treated me like... just another bedpost notch.'**

"Hmm..." She smiled at the news, her husband's face suspicious, as she looked up from her Scroll, a smile on her face still. "Good news." She tapped away on her Scroll, trying to come with a suitable response. Another message popped up before she could do the obligatory conciliatory words.

' **I'm going to talk with her now... see whether I just overreacted.'**

"Khan agreed?" Her husband stated, like it was their due. "We can begin the initialisation of the first stage plans, as planned." She shook her head.

"No, but I did get a message about my dinner reservation being approved with Weiss." The girl was too shy to really advance upon the road of dating, so she had asked for a private dinner with her to talk things over. "Khan is a tough nut to crack."

"See to it that she agrees to our deal. We don't have the time in the world to complain about labour laws, though I will commend you on handling the case of the boy. It has given enough goodwill amongst Ironwood's little clique that the relations have been thawed a little since the labour riot." The man cared for little more than the profit margin, the dust that they sold having been jacked up in price to the other kingdoms, yet still... she preferred to deal with the ones that were stubborn.

"You finally do a good job, woman. Whitley is progressing along the path towards excellence." The man's words were cold and distant towards her, a sign clearly that she had been relegated to 'the woman', instead of 'my wife'.

"Oh, and your eldest daughter has been entered into the Specialists. I thought you might wish to know." The look on her face did not shift, the cool and implacable manner that she had cultivated slipping right back onto her face as she looked at her husband, who so casually mentioned that her daughter had entered the higher echelons of the Atlesian military. _'The regrets that I feel...'_

"Thank you, husband." She said, her voice soft, even as the connection was shut down on his end, not even a 'Have a nice day', no doubt due to the time difference between Atlas and Vale. _'I need a drink.'_

She wasn't going to bother with the thought. She knew well enough that her husband would be more than willing to take her stake in the company if she loosened up, yet she was not going to be cowed by a liar. _'Jacques...'_

Her eye fell onto the Scroll, the message from the young man still at her mind, as she tapped Weiss' number. She typed a quick message – **'Reservations have been made.'** \- before she went back to the messages. **'It will be alright.'** She sent to Jaune, as she let her mind ruminate on the effects of the life changes that had happened in his life so fast. She was NOT out of this race YET.

Willow Schnee got what she wanted. _Always._

* * *

He felt odd as he looked at Yang, seated upon the bed that she had claimed in their room, a nervous manner about her that was at odds with the confidence that he'd seen before, the absolute arrogance that he had seen within that poise, that stance. "So... eh..." She started, faltering as she tried to come up with something that would mellow the hurt that she had caused. "That wasn't the right way to go about it."

"You think?" He said, his voice carrying the irritation that he still felt, being called out like that. Her eyes were cast down, as she winced. His tone had been snarky and dark, similar in tone to Sienna's, his eyes looking up at her. "I was ready to go all-in, Yang. Boyfriend and girlfriend, graduating together, be epic cool huntsmen and then settle down and have a few kids." He watched as her gaze dropped again, the girl swallowing heavily.

"I... know. I'm just..." She looked uncertain, less certain than the usual certainty that she had last night, even as her gaze sought out her teammates. "What did you mean that I was just like my mother?" She fixed her eyes on him, her eyes holding an emotion that he recognized as curiosity, mixed with a hint of fear.

"Do you... do you know my mom?" She asked, her voice soft.

He frowned, suppressing his irritation at that woman. "Considering that she cornered me right after I got out of the shower, put that katana or whatever it was on my chest and told me that I'd better do you right or she was going to hurt me, I know your mom well enough." He was growing more irritated by the moment, as he didn't really see what the fucked up family dynamics were, even though his eyes found hers again.

"Told her right to her face what I thought of that, too. Seriously, your mom is lame. Threatening and acting like she's a hot bitch in the kennel whilst she's not even able to... just act normal. What the hell is wrong with her? She's been texting me all the time, telling me to breed you and make strong babies." Yang visibly winced, even as the other girls sent her weird looks at him, to which he shrugged.

"Uncle Qrow, eh, my uncle, said that it's about her own bandit tribe... well, that they value strength." He scoffed, loudly. As if that was any better...

"She's a washed-up woman with a geisha look and a set of eyes that don't have a 'warm and motherly' look. She's a weird woman who wouldn't know the word 'family' if it hit her in the face." He didn't like losing his temper much, but he looked at Yang, getting up and walking over to her. "You'd do best never to imitate her... And I guess..." He looked into those purple eyes of hers, as he saw the uncertainty in them, the need for... something like validation.

He remembered different eyes. A girl's eyes, brown and warm, looking back at him, a smile on her lips as she said " _You can trust me, I will be the best girlfriend ever._ " The pain stabbing him once more, as he recollected that moment in his mind, knowing that it was probably stupid of him but... _"Who'd ever date a loser like you, eh? Go back to your big sisters, Arc... Perhaps they'll love you."_

"I guess I can just... skip over those moments when you were declaring your superiority to Weiss. It's not really attractive to be hearing that the girl who showed the bravery to ask you out just said 'I am better than you' to her own teammate." He wasn't going to be ever winning the speech of the year award, yet it was clear to him that he might have reacted a little bit too emotional.

' _Sienna would call it being an over-emotional teenager...'_ There were of course the factors that were in his own past that complicated matters. Camellia's little escapade, the way that things had played out that had caused her to shut the world out for a while... The guilt that he felt, about not being present for her to be supported, Saphron's own manner of dealing with things...

' _I might've been projecting onto her...'_ Things had never felt just... right, after the first time he had been dumped. She had been the prettiest girl of their grade, yet the laughter, once she had publically scorned him and made him a laughingstock was something that he had never quite forgotten.

"Can you... Can you guys leave us alone, just for a bit?" Yang said, her voice sounding stronger than it had been, her eyes imploring them all, and he looked at Pyrrha, who looked at him for guidance. "I'd like to... talk to Jaune for a moment." She implored them, team RWBY minus Yang leaving upon the request of their blonde member, Pyrrha shutting the door, upon his motion with the hand for her to take her leave. _'We can be mature adults... Yeah.'_

"Jaune, I..." She started, before she stopped, her expression lightening up, as if a load slipped from her shoulders upon the others leaving, a deep sigh coming from her mouth. "I didn't mean to hurt you, I just..." She shook her shoulders, her breasts doing interesting things once more. He ignored it. "I like you." She said, and this time it seemed genuine.

"I like the way you're working on yourself, that you're not afraid to say that you don't know something, that..." She paused, as she seemed conflicted by the thoughts running through her mind. She paused for a while, a look on her face that was sadder than any he'd seen before."That's something I never could. Say what I mean, I mean. I've always had to..." She smiled, a sad smile.

"Be the big sister. Be the energetic one, be the one who has to step up and..." She shrugged, a helpless look on her face, her hair framing it. "I dunno, do stuff? I mean, I like to exercise, but... Yeah." She floundered, a helpless gaze directed towards him. "It's not something I can just dismiss, Jaune. I shouldn't have said that, I gave you the wrong idea and mom..."

She looked terribly conflicted, and he felt for her. He didn't know why, yet his arms were wrapped around him, even as he patted her back. "Your mother is an odd bird." He said, a snort coming from her lips. "Awfully cRaven, I'd say."

She snorted loudly this time, a soft hiccup coming from her as she wiped her eyes lightly. "That one was lame... but hey, I guess that's what you get, vomit boy..." Her voice was lighter, more natural... more genuine. "I'm... yeah."

She gave him what looked like a sad look. "I tried my best, y'know. Be the hip, active girl that you'd take on a date. Give you the Yang Xiao-Long experience." Her eyes were uncertain, and she seemed to know not really how to continue. _'What is she talking about?'_

"I never asked someone out before... or even considering dating someone, you know?" She sounded less certain than she'd ever seemed, as her eyes flitted around the room, never on him. The close contact between the two of them, his hand still on her shoulder, was something special. Something that made it more genuine than before.

"Then you were there, all cool, all... y'know. I'm not good with words sometimes, I think Ruby rubs off on me sometimes. She can be a bit of a goof with her words." She cracked a smile, even as her eyes calmed. She seemed more at ease with him than during their date, more natural than before.

"I'm... sorry. I just did what I thought I should do and..." She paused, uncertainty in her eyes, as she looked at him with a questioning look. "I'm sorry."

' _You did as you thought you should?'_ The teasing girl who had been on a date with him, who had cracked jokes and flirted throughout their whole dinner, had been an act? His face could not hide his surprise and disgust, even as she seemed skittish, fearful for an instant, her eyes locked with his face. "No, not like that, it's just... I've never been out on a date before our date." She paused, turning red in the cheeks, her fingers tapping together, a cute sign, if it had been Ruby doing it, awkward on Yang. "You're the first boy I've ever... asked out. Really, the first boy that I've even... yeah."

She looked uncomfortable divulging such a thing, sighing deeply. "Perhaps it's just... too much, y'know? We're both seventeen, you're my sister's best friend and maybe I shouldn't have listened to what is popular... I mean, you've got a sister who's with another girl, fine and all that but... people start to talk in the locker rooms. I'm just not... comfortable. People just assume that I'm together with Blake because we hang out a lot and... I like guys. Blake does too."

She looked really uncomfortable for a moment, and he realized on that moment that he had misread her. He'd misread her selfish motives, the moment when she had declared that she had gotten a boyfriend to Weiss, the odd little twitches of her face, as she had not been comfortable in the slightest. After all, it was her first date... it had been his as well. She had teased him, had been the 'confident and cool' Yang that he knew... and she had not enjoyed being that way in the slightest.

"You must think the worst of me, I know... You tried your best, I was... kind of happy, really." She smiled, a beautiful smile that had been absent from their date. She had smiled, yes, but it had felt... forced. "Nobody's really taken me to the movies, just the two of us there and... well..." She smiled, as she looked at him.

"The movie was kind of like what we do together, but..." The hesitation in her voice was enough, even as he laid a hand on her shoulder.

"I like romance better." She said, really softly. She looked shy, nothing of that confidence showing in her manner of behaving. A blush grew on her face. "The story of being the lost little girl who came across a house, with the prince just ready to sweep her off her feet, to save her from the Ursa that were threatening to kill her..." She looked girlish and hopeful then, as she sighed.

"I shouldn't have crowed about it like that, and... I should've just been myself. Just the Yang who likes to hold hands, smile at her boyfriend and make a suggestion that we should read Ninja's of Love together. Beacon was... perhaps a way to get rid of that fake image of being the 'hip and sporty, forward girl' but then... I had to run into my classmates from Signal." She looked sad. "I do know how to dress, but the attitude... Yeah..." She groaned. "It's such a bother. Always being the one who's gotta be the life of the party, and then there's Weiss and Blake who can just... get all in a huff about their issues, like it matters what sort of kitty ears you have or why your underwear has to be folded like that... So Big Sis Yang comes out and my real desires to just sit in a corner quietly and read a book are dashed."

"I can understand that." He said, though he didn't know really why he said that. That she was opening up to him in a way was nice but it didn't make him feel happy. "But please... Don't hide what you are feeling, alright? I thought you were uninterested in dancing, that you were bored throughout the dinner." She groaned, her head shaking, her blonde locks enough, and he sighed. _'You're going to forgive her...'_

"Sure... I mean, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been... yeah, like that. I mean, I like flirting with you, you're cute when you act all blushy. That wasn't an act, trust me." She smiled at him, an innocent smile, like how Ruby smiled when she was happy. _'I can't stay angry with her if she acts like this.'_ His gaze went to the window, a raven looking at him with a baleful look, as if it wanted to eat his heart or something. _'Ergh... Another reminder of a failed mom...'_

"I shouldn't have acted like that, I'm..." She paused, as she looked at him with eyes that seemed to be threatening to burst into tears. "I'm not used to the feeling of having to care for someone else aside of those that belong to the family. Our dad, y'know, Ruby and me's dad... He was in bad shape after Ruby's mom died. Had to take care of him and my little sis..." She seemed to get into the mood to talk, even as she leaned against him, a tender look on her face. "It was tough."

He nodded, pulling her close, an instinctual reaction, something that was passed on through the brother instinct. "I know. When dad died and mom collapsed, it was tough. My sisters have all been through their own troubles, but I've..." He didn't really know how to tell it to her. He thought of Sienna, of how she would respond. She would be able to understand, at least a little. She had spoken of her past a few times, recounting the times when things had been more than friendly.

"I know how you feel. My sister's had a bad break-up and some things happened, so Saphron took her on a trip to the four Kingdoms to cheer up, met Terra and then, poof, family." He felt awfully sappy, and he looked at her expression as she listened to him. Her eyes were a little moist, and she moved a little closer, her breathing a little heavier than before. She looked intense, as if she had been thinking about something, her lips pressed together, her eyes looking up at him.

"Jaune." Her voice was soft, as she looked at him, and then moved from him. "You're a great guy, who really cares for his friends but..." He nodded, understanding her. _'This was the moment where she'll say that we're better off as friends. Traditional girl speech 101.'_

"You're my best friend's sister. So... friends?" She grinned at him, that teasing smile that looked so natural on her face, free of the doubts that he felt.

"Sure. I'd love to have another friend." He smiled at her and then held out his hand, which she took and shook, briskly. She seemed to have an idea, her eyes glinting lightly.

"Hey... close your eyes for a bit." He frowned at her, even as she grinned at him a little bolder than before. "Just... close your eyes. Just for a moment... say... twenty seconds."

He did as she asked, even as he heard the rustling of cloth, a soft hiss from her lips in frustration and a click, before she moved and he felt lips that were very soft press against his own, a set of hands wrapping around his shoulders, his eyes opening up to see those purple eyes look back into his own, the kiss parting, and Yang moving back after kissing him.

His eyes fell onto bared breast-flesh, a set of nipples boldly proclaiming that they were pretty darn pointy, her eyes meeting with his own, as she cupped them. "Thank you for being an alright dude, Jaune." She blushed, as she looked at him, a shyness about her, reflected in her motions. "Ruby would think me nuts for... y'know, doing something like this, but you..."

"You know the truth. We're both losers... and I thought you'd be looking at these a bit more now that I put em out for you to see. I didn't whip them out only to show, y'know? So... eh..." Her colour was turning redder, as her gaze looked at the door.

"You can touch, if you want to... I mean... we're... sort of dating, yeah? Friends with benefits?" She was redder than Ruby's cloak now, and he suppressed the urge to do that very same thing that she suggested.

"I thought I broke up with you..." He said, Yang giving him a look, one that was good at making him do as she wished. It was emotional and soulful, as if she had focused completely on him. _'Oh... this is one of those moments...'_

"Just... put your hands on them, alright? I want to know what it's like to... get groped. By a guy I like." She looked away, her lower lip bitten by her teeth and his hand took a hold of the leftmost those glorious breasts, feeling the skin be delicately soft, a shuddering breath coming from her mouth as his hands touched them.

"Ah, Jaune..." She gasped, her eyes looking at him for a moment. "I'm... not like this, usually, but... I can see why you're so well-liked by people. You've got something about you that just... come on, touch the other one. You're the first one besides Ruby to touch them." His other hand joined its companion on her other breast, even as she brought her lips close. "Kiss."

' _Is this normal?'_ He wondered, even as her lips pressed against his own, and she pushed against him, pressing him down on her bed. "Yang, we..." Her lips pressed against his own again. Where there had been an absence of passion, there was now an overflow. She was gasping, her eyes were hazy, switching slowly into a deeper red, her breathing heavy. "I can understand, but-"

The door opened up and Ruby appeared. "Alright! Stop fightin- ohgodYangyourtitsareoutandareyou-ohmygods." He could see Pyrrha peer at him from over Ruby's shoulder, her eyes looking a little colder, as he realized how it looked. Him pressed on Yang's bed, with her breasts in his hands, his hands involuntarily squeezing them out of his awkwardness, Yang giving a low hiss, as she looked at him.

"We made up, sis... But we're going to be just friends now, I don't think loverboy here's got what it takes to be my lover." She winked at him, a sneaky little hint for him to 'play along'.

"B-but-but-but..." Ruby looked at her older sister, nearly hyperventilating, Blake taking a long look at Yang and then shrugging.

"She can choose whatever she wants to." She said, Weiss giving Yang a look that Jaune thought to be rather serious, as if Yang had broached some hidden territory.

"This isn't over, Xiao-Long." She said, snappishly. _'What's with her?'_

"Hey, loverboy here's got a hand on the goods... When are you gonna give him some fondling, eh?" The shy Yang had hidden beyond the mask of the older sister again, her teasing comment making Weiss flush.

"D-do not think that I would do such crude things for a..." She floundered, clearly trying to find the proper words. "boy!" _'Your mother's already shown me everything that she's had.'_

"And now he's pawing some titties... Scared that he'll love me more, Weissey?" Her voice was teasing, even as he cleared his throat, his hands pulled off those wonderful mammaries of roundness and softness. He could see a faint pout on that face of hers, even as her nipples seemed awfully pointy. "Lemme just cover up a bit. Pyrrha looks like she's going to commit murder or something at seeing them."

Pyrrha's eyes were fierce, as she breathed in and out, her eyes flickering to him. "Jaune, are you done talking to her?" She sounded like she was a drill instructor from those war movies, her eyes fierce, locked right onto Yang.

He had seen that look a few times in Vivian's eyes, the look of 'I am going to take you down', usually worn when one of her sisters was in bad straits. _'She isn't happy about something...'_

He could imagine. He was caught with his hands on Yang's rather full tits, and he was making out with her. That wasn't the best of sights to come back to. "I'm eh... done. We made up." He looked at Yang, who blew him a little kiss, somehow making Pyrrha even more irate.

"Oh, he made up with me plenty... made out with me too." She was all confidence now, as she leaned against him, the shirt that she'd worn now belonging to Blake, if he wasn't mistaken. _'When did she get that?'_ "Loverboy ain't with me anymore... But he's always got the benefits to go with the friendship, aye?"

She was just teasing him, just a friendly tease... and she definitely had opened up to him. _'I guess she's a bit like Kali described Sienna as being. Passionate on the outside, yet with warmth on the inside. A good girl, just like Ruby.'_ It was a little like how he knew Ruby to be, and with the two of them being sisters... he could see some truth into things. _'Camellia hasn't been as outgoing after the... hospital.'_

It was perhaps his own understanding of things, but he could see her in a different light. He smiled at her, the girls giving uncomfortable looks, Ruby turning a little redder in the face. "Jaune?"

"Yeah?" He asked, turning his gaze to Ruby. "What's the matter?" She looked adorable. Just like a younger sister wanting to be okay with the guy her big sister was dating, as she tentatively came closer.

"Did you and Yang make up? A-are you still together?" Ruby asked, her cheeks red, even as he smiled at her. _'Always concerned.'_

"We made up and no, we're not together anymore." He looked at Yang, giving her a smile. "We talked things out and then she kissed me and eh... gave me a bit of a send-off." The fact that she'd offered him a grope of her breasts was... definitely out of the usual. It was more of the persona of the Yang that she showed to the world than to the shy girl who had told him about raising her sister and caring for her dad, who liked romance movies and such things.

"Yep. He ain't got what it takes to ride THESE babies into the sunset." He could see her eyes warm slightly, as she took a deep breath. "Now scoot! I need my bed! I need a new shirt, because Blake's going to be smelling like me!"

"Oh no, the atrocity... to smell like my own partner." There was a faint mocking tone to Blake's voice, even as Yang got up and gave her partner a hug.

"I am going to make you smell like me, Blakey! Those Faunus noses won't know what hit them when they'll be smelling Xiao-Long as you're in their space!" Yang said, even as Blake gave a humoured smile, Jaune getting up from the bed and walked over to Pyrrha.

"Let's go, Pyrrha." He said, voice sounding more directive than he'd been before. "I've talked things out, we're cool again, you've still got to give me that training, right?" She smiled at him, a smile that didn't reach those fierce green eyes, still giving a glare that was worthy of Sienna's own raised brow at Yang. _'She must feel really strongly about her leader being led on by a girl who only seems to be into things if they are fun...'_

He regretted pulling Pyrrha away three hours later, when his muscles ached and throbbed with pain, Pyrrha's elegant smile still as wonderful as it had been, her eyes warmer and with more friendliness. "You really worked me over, Pyrrha." He said, voice full of tired emotions. It was a change from the heavy emotions of the night before, where he had still been convinced that Yang had been utter trash and had led him on. _'Remarkable how a chat can change someone's perspective.'_

"Someone has to. You brought this on yourself, Jaune." She said, though there was no meanness in her words, her eyes looking him over. "How about I help you to the showers, alright?" She smiled at him, her eyes looking warmly at him, as if he had given her a new hope.

"Thanks, you're really kind." She was just helping him out.

"And... if you ever want to... go out on a... d-day trip with me, please, don't hesitate." She stammered a little, her cheeks awfully red, her eyes looking at him nervously. _'Aww, she's such a sweetheart. Always caring for me.'_

"Sure, I'll go on a day trip with you. We can take Nora and Ren too, if they want to." Her face seemed to fall slightly, but her eyes never lost their luster.

"That'll be grand." She smiled, warmly. "Don't let Yang pull you down... I'd hate to see my leader be depressed because of a stupid girl who toyed with his heart."

He smiled faintly, even though the face of the girl came once more to his mind's eye. Her heart had been his goal once, yet she had scorned him. _'I think I'm done for a bit...'_

"I'm done for a while, I guess. Yang was a bit of a shocker, coming out of the blue with something like that." He watched her perk up a little, heaving a sigh of relief almost, if he caught the gesture right.

"It's okay. I'll always be there for you, Jaune." His partner said, with a smile on her lips.

* * *

Sienna Khan was not a happy woman as of this moment. Her eyes roved over the space where Adam had indicated several containers of Dust should have been, ill-gotten gains from a raid that she had half-heartedly signed off on whilst her mind had been elsewhere, diverting the attention from earlier exploits, only to come face-to-face with nothing.

Illegal operations like this required a bit of a special touch, a casual onlooker's eyes not going over the remnants as easily as a true professional would, the mask that she had donned in order to hide as much of her identity as she could forming over her face, the full-body suit that she wore without shame covering most of her tattoos up, her fingers tracing over the space where an outline had been, which had been packed full of Dust containers up until recently. _'A good heist, for a conman and a criminal... yet where would they have taken them? The Fall woman must've gotten plans for enough Dust to blow up half of Vale... so where... If I was an evil woman bent on domination, with a few numbskull Faunus who'd do whatever I said... where would I be stashing that much Dust?'_

She had, of course, infiltrated without being seen. Faunus, as much as they were reviled, still had some of their own evolutionary advantages. Her body was more suited towards the agile movements of a cat, even though tiger really was more of a heritage that she espoused, the movements graceful, even as she moved into the darkness once more upon hearing a sound.

' _Another patrol... Just great...'_ The White Fang as it was currently, held some small measure of respect. The interview with Jaune had gone smashingly for the PR department, with his honest accounting of things and his humbleness allowing them a little bit of a windfall in the public eye. Having a human, one who arguably got hurt in the events of the caper, claim that they were not as bad as they seemed, was better than the public opinion that prevailed against most of her kind.

' _Time to go.'_ She thought, as she leapt up to one of the high ceiling beams, her fingers seizing purchase, her body moving with the grace, as she was out of the window in a flash, leaping onto the roof with barely more disturbance or sound, an innate sense of balance aiding in the keeping of said balance, even as she moved, her steps steadier than the ill-shaken foothold might grant her.

"Back again to the car, Ma'am?" One of the bodyguards asked, even as she tugged the mask off, his loyalty to the White Fang guaranteed, the feeling of being freed, as she zipped down the suit and the deliberate deep sigh that she gave, enough. She got herself dressed in her casual attire in a flash, her whole body feeling the annoyance flash through it as she realized that she had once more brought the work with her out into the world... but the freedom had been worth it. _'Now...'_

Her gaze went towards the CCT tower, Beacon Academy standing proudly in the distance, a beacon to what humanity had achieved, over the backs of the Faunus. To mind came Jaune, the blonde human who had impressed her, who had... decided to claim a spot in her heart, no matter how much she resisted it. As she felt the suit below her clothes, she knew that she would need to be hurrying along. "Let's go."

The car was one of those who bore few markings, even as she got in behind the driver's seat, the reinforced bulletproof glass of the front window giving her additional security, even with the woman's strange words still tingling through her mind. _'What did Adam say? She was out for the liberation of our kind... Just the honeyed words that simpleton fools would just eat up...'_

"Anything the matter, ma'am?" The bodyguard asked, even as she remained silent, the steering wheel turning, as she indicated a change in lanes, the weather's heavy clouds finally starting to disgorge the rain that had been threatened all day. _'Good rain to wash away the shame..._ '

"Just a few thoughts, a little curiosity. Some things do not quite align."There was always the ambiguity, the hidden games that she had to pay attention to. Her Scroll beeped, even with the function to transfer the messages without any fuss to the private server that usually dealt with the usually sensitive information. "Give me my Scroll." She put in the code without any fuss, looking at the message that appeared.

' **No records found. Will look into the transfer of personnel to the auxiliary branch. I'll be in Vale tomorrow, for a 'photoshoot'.** '

There was the hint of something much greater than that which she had anticipated, her irritation mounting, as she looked at the message and then swiped to shut the Scroll down, handing it to the man. "We're heading home. Inform the second squad that they will need to get ready." She could enjoy a good linger under the shower, maybe a bit of light reading... things would sort themselves out in due time, after all. She wasn't someone who did things half-way, after all.

As she entered the apartment, her eyes fell onto the picture that she had set on one of the small tables, a picture that showed happier times, when the entire crew had still been together. Ilia, her desires plainly on the surface whenever her body shifted colours, Adam, whose charisma and willingness to do whatever was needed for the cause, Eve, the one who had joined the pacifist faction of the White Fang, Ghira, who had been the spiritual head of things and Kali, who kept them all bonded together as a union... even little Blake, with the desire to make a positive change in the world for the Faunus, was represented there...

' _How things have changed. Several of these people are no longer alive...'_ She wasn't going to deny her feelings any longer. If she truly... liked, and she was using that word sparsely, Jaune Arc, she would have to fight for him.

Setting the alarm for seven-thirty in the morning, she opened up the Scroll, checking the messages that scrolled up her feed, several from the subdivision heads to respond to her request for more information about their cooperation with the Fall woman and Torchwick. It was politely phrased, yet with the subtle cues that they could be 'replaced'.

' **Sienna... Get me a date with that Arc boy... He looks utterly** **scrumptious** **.'**

The sender was the same number as before, even as she winced at the implications. _'That would probably spell the end of his Huntsman career.'_ She was familiar with the sender, who had opinions that did not align in the slightest with her own. It was a risky guess that she'd make, but the chances of Jaune being in any state of functional after meeting THAT person...

' _Oh no, I can already see it happening.'_ The sudden link that popped up on her screen from the same sender she clicked on, already dreading what was behind it. _'Aha...'_

Adam was going to flip if he learned that she would be right back in Vale again. _'I guess there's something to be watched...'_ The play button was pressed and the music, a rather unmusical rendition of one of the classical pieces, started to show as the title of the clip came to her eyes.

' _Adam can go and worry about it later, it's not like she'd be pulling him into her crazy shit this time...'_

She relaxed a little, watching the movie whilst it played, the happenings upon the screen tasteful in the manner that they played out, her fingers tapping the pause button for a swift manner, before she pulled her shirt off and threw it on the chair, knowing that it'd be going in the laundry first thing in the morning. _'No time like the present...'_

She liked the feeling of having little to restrain her, the formalwear that she had to wear out of a habitual need to be representative of the White Fang something that was not too out of date, the feeling of being freed of the shackles that bound her enlightening in a certain way. She pressed the call button, the call connecting.

"Jaune Arc speaking?" She could hear his voice, even as she cleared her throat, once more reaffirming things for herself. _'You can do this.'_

"Hello, Arc." Her voice was like caged lightning, sizzling from her lips and she could hear him give one of those 'happy breaths' as she registered to his mind. "Your training of this week is getting moved up a few days. Show up on Tuesday." This would allow her to have an easier time with managing the surprise guest, who would undoubtedly want to take a big bite out of him, if she had the chance.

' _For a herbivore Faunus...'_ The thought didn't finish. "Oh, is there some change to your schedule? Sure, I can do that." The young man would be right to get the training that he needed, and she would get to vent her frustration a little. _'You should ask him about his girlfriend.'_

"So... what's the situation with the girlfriend?" She didn't stammer, her voice as calm and collected as if she were talking about business, yet internally, she felt nervous. _'You were too fucking late, Sienna... Too late to get that man and now some big-titted bimbo snatched him up._ '

"We broke up. I was going to tell you about it later, but you've... eh, called. No, this is just Miss Khan, inquiring about my availability." _'You could just call me Sienna, you know... I think I gave you permission to do so... But perhaps it is best that our little relationship in the professional sense be kept silent.'_ He sounded so unconcerned, and she shrugged. Her eyes went to the liquor cabinet, where a few good bottles stood. _'Do I need a bit of a hand tonight to sleep?'_

' _Fuck, I bet he's good with his hands... He looks clumsy and dorky, but those hands...'_ She wasn't a hand fetishist or anything, but a man who was good with his hands in a certain fashion wasn't unappealing. She licked her lips. _'Oh yes... That's going to be a nightcap and a bit of action before bed.'_

"So... What's the problem with that? Too much of a hassle? Your team give you grief? That pretty redhead declare herself to be in love with you whilst only dressed in a thin nightgown and with her nipples making little towers in the fabric?" She was casual, even as she probed with her words, her voice easily carried, the boy obviously having her on speaker because she could detect someone giving a squeak.

"No, nothing like that. It's not like she'd be interested in me anyways." Another squeak, this time much more womanly... _'Competition... Fuck.'_ She couldn't readily go up against the cereal girl... though she probably had more skill in that part of the political arena.

"We decided to part ways because we were just too different. We're still friends though... ah, yeah." Sienna grinned to herself. This was something that she could work with. Friends were not going to cross those borders that quickly. "So, the day after tomorrow, yes?"

"Be late and I will make you regret that your father ever knocked your mother up." Her voice definitely had a dark tone to it, as she put enough tone to that voice to make it threatening. "I pay my debts... And one interview is not going to automatically make us 'friends'."

"Yeah, sure. I'll be there, five minutes early, raring to go and have you rub my face against the mat a few times." His voice was lighter, even as her fingers brushed over her chin.

"Would you rather have me rub your face against the ceiling? That can be arranged, you know." There was a certain delicacy in delivery, yet she delivered the comeback rather well, in her own mind.

"Of course, eh, not. I'm not sure what you'd do to my lower body if my head was planted in the ceiling." She snorted, loudly once more. It was clear to him now how much her empathy stretched. _'Those who do not match the standards that are given, are culled without mercy.'_

"Use you as a training tool for idiots who don't know where the kidneys are." She wouldn't do anything like that, but it fit the image of the rough and tough woman she was portraying, even though internally, she wondered briefly whether it would be alright to do such a thing to the boy. _'No, he'd get scared... Wouldn't want him to get TOO scared of me.'_

"Ouch... Yeah, I think I'll go and keep to the ground level, Sienna." She hissed at him, the use of her first name a taboo amongst other people who were not quite in the know of their rather convoluted relationship. "Miss Khan, alright, alright... I promise to not do that again."

"Respect is earned through beating others into submission and earning their respect, Mister Arc. Be sure that you arrive on time and I will make sure that you will garner at least a modicum of skill." She shut the Scroll down and then winced. _'I better not drink tonight...'_

She curled up in her bed, without turning on the music to leave her with more pleasant dreams than most times before, letting herself just drift away, a bleep from her Scroll ignored, even as she mused whether it would be for the best that things would remain as it was... that it would be merely a fancy from her.

' _You're 29, he isn't going to want an old lady like you...'_ Doubt flashed through her mind as she wondered briefly whether he wasn't going to be playing the field, like so many people would when they were around hot teens with bodies that trained daily to defend humanity and the Faunus...

' _Willow hasn't been against a quick hook-up... She isn't treating it as seriously as it could be... Am I just deluding myself that I might find the young man attractive? Am I just trying to ride out my twenties with some attractive young stud, whose body belongs to me alone?'_ The doubts kept her awake for most of the night, as she sighed deeply.

Sleep, was not to be had. _'I better start work on some of the schedules... Especially if she's coming around for a visit, and to plan Kali in...'_

They would at least try to go to a place that had a buffet. She didn't mind haute cuisine... but it was a lot of money for remarkably little food. She'd rather spend a little less on some good food than to eat crap like that. _'Hmm... Kali is going to go for the hot wings again...'_

She was actually a little excited to meet with Kali again... feeling somehow that the woman would make a valuable ally. _'I wonder...'_ She glanced at the mirror, her own drowsy looking face staring back at her. _'I wonder if she could help me with... winning him over.'_

It was decided. She would enter the battle royale for the heart of her human. Sienna Khan would NOT lose to some human when it came to the conquest of a heart! If he spurned her for some reason, so be it, but she was NOT going to give up.

* * *

 **Yeah, another update, on Monday. Worked the whole weekend on this with a little break on Sunday. It gives a bit more context to Yang's awkwardness, hints a bit at Jaune's past and gives more questions... And Sienna's getting company!**

 **Thanks to the guest who pointed out that the last part looked a bit abrupt and the like... Really, it was nice to read, even after I'd posted the correction of the chapter a minute or five before I read it, hah. Thanks though for going through the effort to tell me about it! Jaune got burned before... and well, he's currently not looking too hard for a girlfriend. For further developments... Wait for the next chapter. We'll see Willow and Weiss at dinner. Yang currently is trying to recalibrate herself and find a way that fits for her... So, wait and see. She's still got her parts to play. Still 12 days-ish until the Bella-dinner with team RWBY, JNPR and Sienna + the Belladonna's!**

 **Would you all rather see me switch to a Monday release schedule, so I can have a bit more time to work on stuff? Just asking to check because I'll release Dies Irae's first chapter at the end of the week, together with another chapter of A Grimm Tale.**

 **Leave a review if you'd like! Next chapter in 2 weeks!**


	21. Chassé

**Chapter 21: Chassé**

 **Another chapter… And 666 favourites! The number of the devil! Oohhh! Spooky! More plot stuff in this chapter!**

* * *

He looked at the clock on the wall, watching its arms slowly slide over the face of the clock, ticking down to the eventual end of the lesson. The unease with Yang had mostly disappeared now that they had made up, the memory of those large round mammaries pressing against his fingers still a thing that bounced in his mind. Sienna had summoned him today and he was not going to disappoint her in the slightest, as she was a strict taskmaster.

Pyrrha had been slightly more reluctant to let him go, citing that it might be best that he have some of her training, as they wielded a similar weapon, yet there was that duty that he felt towards Sienna. The woman was demanding, yet the results that he had already gotten from the training were paying dividends. He felt lighter on his feet, easier in his stride and was able to actually kill Grimm with greater ease, provided they weren't old enough to be smart to anticipate the motions, like some of the Ursa that occasionally were showing up when they had their field expeditions in the Emerald Forest. _'She's really something though…'_

His partner had stuck to his side like it was something of a personal duty to make sure that he was alright, her fingers occasionally fiddling with his hair as she arranged it, her gaze drawn to his face for some reason. _'She can't like me like that, that's silly…'_ Yang's little fiasco of a relationship had made him more cynical, as he had enjoyed the conversation that he'd had with her, to see the real her… but it had also made him aware that girls his own age were stranger than those who were older.

' _Sienna, Kali and Willow make sense. Willow just wants me for my body, Sienna is focused on repaying her debts and Kali is just… Blake's mom.'_ He wasn't going to say that he had featured them in his fantasies more than once, Sienna especially. Sienna had that little thing about her face that she did when she was feeling particularly exasperated with him that just brought those eyes out, that fierce glare that set him right on the point where he could anticipate anything, before it relaxed and she seemed to smooth out.

It had been something of a relief to see that she hadn't been mad, yet that strange expression on her face featured more than a few times. _'Nah… She couldn't be checking me out. It's just frustration with her job working…'_ The Faunus woman was driven for her cause, at the very least. Her way of handling things was efficient, with little issue for him and her.

"Ready to get beat up by pussy, Jaune?" Yang teased as she nudged his side, her cheeks a little flushed even as the bell indicated that class was over, the din of people starting to get up and ready to leave something that he knew was more than enough for him to cover.

"Don't call her that." He said, his voice moderated, even as Yang smiled at him, a tender look in her eyes that seemed to indicate that she was indeed taking that advice into consideration.

"Alright... So, fun-tiger's going to be slamming you against the mats. What's new with her, anyways?" The topic turned to something a little safer, training, and he wondered privately what they were going to be covering next. Perhaps something with a little bit more force than just the usual wooden weapons training?

"Last time we dealt with threats. She's lethal with her whip." He realized how it sounded when Yang gave a little coo, brushing against him, her bountiful assets pushed against him.

"Thanks for yesterday, by the way." Yang's softer voice whispered in his ear, even as she ringed her arm through his, pulling him closer to her.

"So... She's been whipping you into shape, eh? I guess it's time that we get you on some EXTRA HARD CARDIO tomorrow!" The exuberance in her nature outwardly was something that she had put on in order to hide her tendencies to be just like Ruby, a defence mechanism so that there would be no awkward questions.

"Oh no... Whatever will I do? Yang Xiao-Long is going to give me some extra hard cardio session, leaving me gasping and groaning." She turned a little red in the face as he threw the words back at her, making sure to give her a little pinch, her eyes looking down, even as she smiled faintly.

"Keep that up and I'm going to have serious problems with you and keeping my mitts off, Jaune." She spoke a little softer than a whisper, even as her arm released his own. "I'm going to break those legs of yours, buster! Yang Xiao-Long doesn't do things half-way!"

"You're still shorter than me, Yang." He said, the blonde grinning up at him, grabbing Blake suddenly in a head-lock. The Faunus girl looked at her partner with wild eyes, terrified eyes.

"Blakey likes me just the way I am, right Blakey?" The teasing tone of her voice was another quick save, even as Blake struggled to get loose.

"Let go, I don't want this, Yang, hey, stop it!" The Faunus in the headlock tried to struggle loose, Yang only increasing the grip. "Fine, fine! I like you just the way you are." The arm released her, as Yang beamed at him.

"See? My partner proves my point. Xiao-Long, Jaune." She winked at him, before her face remained the same and those eyes gave him the _look._

"Well, she's in a chipper mood..." Pyrrha said, her voice sounding a little darker than the usual, her eyes watching Yang and Blake strut off like they usually did, his eyes lingering a little on Blake's behind, that fine ass having a bit of sway to it that her mother seemed to have gotten down to an art form. _'Her dad is really lucky with a wife like that.'_

"Yeah. She's not that bad, Pyrrha... But she's a bit overzealous." The real Yang was less exuberant than the personality that she showed outwardly, yet he was not a person who would reveal the secrets that she had told him. He had some personal integrity, even though he found the blonde to be attractive.

"Overzealous or not... I don't like it." She said, her green eyes looking at him with a look that was guarded.

"You don't... want to take her up on her offer, do you?" She sounded unsure, as if she were debating what she would do if he did. _'If it's what Yang implied... I dunno? Do Ren and Nora put a sock on the door when they want to have sex?'_

It hadn't really occurred to him that he should've set some ground rules for that type of stuff. Pyrrha was great as a partner, but to be interested in him romantically? Nah, he'd rather believe that there was some good-looking guy out there who'd take her by storm, who'd claim her heart and make her smile. Pyrrha had a great smile, it really lit up her face when she did so. He made her smile quite a bit, though he privately thought that she was humouring him with his lame jokes. "No, we broke up, so I am not going to be taking her up on any offer that involves a lack of clothing."

At least for now, he wouldn't. It was hard to say whether he would be so confident in saying such in half a year's time, but he was not ruling it out yet. Yang had a divide between her personal and her public self, so there was always the balancing act to maintain. _'Saphron always says that girls have two faces.'_

He wondered what Sienna would think of it. He hadn't really talked to her since the day before, so it was something that he was a little curious about asking her what the proper way was.

He'd get to it eventually, Sienna wasn't that bad when you considered the fact that she was willing to help him out. It was an odd friendship of sorts, yet there were no feelings aside from minor irritation between them, as far as he knew.

* * *

Willow Schnee was a woman of means, looking at her reflection in the full-length mirror of the room that she'd booked at the hotel, now more of a permanent accommodation than the temporary one that it should've been. The long evening dress sat perfectly on her body, the lengthy dress covering the important bits whilst still giving a hint of style to the womanly curves that she possessed.

' _Just perfect...'_ She mused, as she turned around for her Scroll, snapping a quick picture and then putting it into the messaging group, watching as it loaded, subtitling it with 'Preparing to take my daughter out for dinner'. It was something of a fancy of her to go and eat something lavish with Weiss, the alcoholic compliment to the food usually being good enough to meet her standards, her message box groaning under the weight of a few more messages that had been sent during the three hours that she had spent in preparation, the place already booked for her and Weiss to have their dinner.

A whole restaurant closing down thanks to her whim was no real issue to her or the world. The Schnee Dust Company basically paid top Lien during every engagement with the public, though she did not really desire to have any sort of incidents occur. The Schnee family was something of a celebrity existence, so she was able to ensure her own desires to be realized... save for one young man who triumphed against the lure that she had set out.

A single dining room would suffice, with personal chefs preparing the food whilst they watched. There would be no cause for alarm... but the bodyguards would do their duty just as they were paid to do. _'Nothing will go wrong... but it never hurts to be careful.'_

She looked at her reflection in the mirror, the absence of makeup yet something that she should fix. The shower and the bath had been something of an indulgence, to make the alcoholic burn in her stomach a little less prevalent, the wine that she sipped being a great year, even though she was only half-tipsy by this point in time.

"You look ravishing, Willow." She said to herself, her reflection smirking right back at her. "Why thank you, I think so too." She was just having dinner with her daughter, hear of her woes… and then it was back to getting to be the irresponsible mother again that Weiss and Winter and Whitley thought so little of. The mother who lazed in the gardens, drinking the finest of wines and burdening the family with shame.

She painted her lips red, her expression in the mirror a little delicate as she made a puckering of the lips happen, adding a small dash more to the lips, testing it out for a moment before being satisfied with it. _'Perfect attire… Perfect poise. Perfect Schnee.'_

"Ma'am, we are ready to depart. The route has been scouted beforehand and checked." The bodyguard said, even as she let her gaze rest on her reflection for a while longer, her lips pressed tightly together. _'Security measures.'_

Her daughter would need to be picked up from the docks first, before they could meet at the restaurant. One Schnee alone was an easy target… Two would be an absolute buffet for any ruffian with a grudge. "Of course, just a moment." She sprinkled a dash of her perfume onto her skin, the Weiss Schnee brand one of her favourite scents, no doubt because it had a pleasant mixture of vanilla with a dash of lemon and iceberry through it, lending a pleasing smell to the nose of whoever was close.

Weiss would hardly know her preferences as far as it came to eating and preparing for such an event, as she had no real desire to mingle with her mother… her oldest daughter even less enthused by the prospect of spending time with her. _'Have I failed as a mother? Probably. Have I failed as a woman? Likely.'_

She was not prone to rash decisions, unless she was able to make sure that she would incur no damages. Things were to be smoothed over, discussed and then appropriately bribed. Only with her... friend, Sienna, were things differently. The Faunus had little clue of what exactly went on inside the office of the High Leader, her frequent visits bringing with it a stack of paperwork and her bodyguards remaining mostly in close contact with her, the hashing out of an initial 'treaty' of sorts being made between her and Sienna privately, with only small notes being passed on to the secretaries of both sides.

The Schnee Dust Company and the White Fang were diametrically opposed to each other in ideology, the latter under her husband's management, whilst the White Fang was a typical organisation that championed Faunus rights. Some meeting in the middle may be a ground for some cooperation, possibly more acceptance of the Faunus... but they would have to hash such a thing out, which took time.

' _Mantle wasn't built in a day... With my husband still satisfied with Sienna's small inches of progress and the woman's reputation for being a fierce fighter, nobody has clued in that we're actually getting drunk as friends.'_ It was a delicate game that would see Sienna labelled a traitor to the cause, yet those who were in the know on the personal affairs of the High Leader would not find it too odd, due to the similarity of their own statuses.

Sienna was a driven woman with a career in politics, desiring a young man who totally was in a different league than her, able to deliver biting wit and snarky commentary without batting an eye at it. She herself was a driven woman with a career in macroeconomic Dust sales, who wielded the power to ruin lives with a simple 'No', who desired a young man who could be her son, able to goad the opponent into making a mistake through sheer wit... _'Ooh, it wouldn't be so bad to have a bit of play... I wonder if that'll make him take up that offer.'_

She still wanted to fuck him. He had something about him that was like a fresh piece of bloody meat hung in front of a starving pack of wolves, something that pulled her in and made her feel young again. The competition with Sienna for his graces was already stimulating her in her competitive side, taking the young man out for clothes shopping in order to find something a little more suitable for his wardrobe than the same sweater and hoodie combination.

"Ma'am?" The bodyguard came once more with his voice intruding in her thoughts, even as she made her eyelashes glow faintly with an accent, the small brush put away in its proper receptacle.

"Done. Get the car ready." The command was given and Willow Schnee was ready to get herself something to eat. Her stomach rumbled slightly, a reminder that she had barely eaten anything today yet. _'I'm going to get the biggest steak they've got.'_

She got in the car nearly ten minutes later, her high heels pulled off the moment that she was in the car, allowing her feet some freedom, even as she pulled the cooler open, spotting the bottle that she'd had put there before they'd depart. It was a standard ritual, as she pulled out a glass and poured herself a glassful of the liquor, toasting to an unseen partner before tipping it back.

The nerves that she'd felt for a moment were calmed, as she took in that deep breath that she'd been holding, feeling the satedness of being somewhat free once more, her whole body tingling with that light sensation of airiness that came with meeting her beloved daughter.

She looked out of the tinted window, made from Dust and Bulletproof glass, her eyes spotting the neon signs of the buildings as they made their way through the traffic, her eyes catching sight of the happy couples that gathered there, her fingers tracing over her chin, even as she let her mind wander off slightly. _'Would it be a bad thing if I asked Jaune whether he'd...'_

She was aware that her thoughts were going in an inappropriate direction, yet she could not stop herself. A challenge laid there, a challenge that did not know that he was one. She would have fucked him if she could, yet something stopped her, a sense of something that only seemed to heighten her whole mind's eye to the situation that had occurred.

"Ma'am?" The voice of the bodyguard came and distracted her once more. "Your daughter has been sighted, Jean-Armand is on his way." She supposed that it was a good thing that her bodyguards knew what they should do. Having to micromanage everything was a sure-fire way towards getting herself sent straight to the military academy... and she did NOT like men with less personality than a doorknob.

"Of course." She said, waiting politely, the glass in her hand still empty, as she realized that she'd only had one single glass. _'I must be getting old if I'm forgetting my fun.'_

The door opened and her daughter entered, dressed in a simple white dress that accentuated her features, her weapon at her side, as she looked at her with eyes that held something that could be yearning inside them.

"Hello, mother." The formal tone was just something that irked her at this time, even as she sighed deeply.

"Good evening, Weiss." She said, her daughter's eyes widening slightly as the casual mention of 'good evening' brought her off her guard, even as Willow put the glass back where it belonged, along with the bottle, scooting over to her daughter and wrapping an arm around her shoulder, pulling her into a hug.

Her daughter did not struggle against her, too taken aback by her actions, even as she could see the frown on her daughter's face, the makeup that she'd had done by someone of her team looking amateurish, to her own careful eyes... but that was neither here nor there.

"Give me a hug." She tried, her daughter's face as still as it could be.

"I would rather not, mother." Her heart froze slightly, even as she put the smile on her face. _'This is how you're going to play it...'_ She knew that her daughter was not a great fan of her, yet she had at least... hoped for a hug.

' _I'm not... sad.'_ She was, but she did not want to think about it. Her eyes felt a little moist, yet she showed no tear, putting a smile on her face as she kept on that little bit of the facade. "So... Want a drink?"

"Mother, is it really the time for you to get even drunker? You will take one for yourself as well, you always do." Her daughter's reproachful tone was hard as she spoke with disdain, a glass already seized by Willow's hands. She was just to reach for the regular juices, as she knew her daughter did not like the taste of alcohol, stopping after a moment.

"Of course." She said, though she felt horrible on the inside, her hand passing the glass to her daughter, who gave her a look. "Some orange juice?" She asked, Weiss' eyes looking at her with a look that she knew well.

"That would be lovely, mother." There was no 'mama' or any sign of closeness between them now. She felt her heart tear just a little more, to know that their conspiratorial talk about boys had been a one-off, Weiss needing the advice of her for an instant.

She poured the glass silently, filling it up mostly, her eyes not looking at her daughter as she let her gaze rest on the carton of orange juice, filling her own used glass with it and downing it in a single gulp. _'One of the perks of liquid breakfasts...'_

"I have ordered a private room at the Valean bistro, just for the two of us." Her daughter's face was conflicted, the restaurant being in good standing, even as Weiss seemed to be so distracted by her own worries, leaving her to feel bad about it.

"It's okay." She said, even as Willow leaned over, a little touch between the two of them occurring.

"Tell me about your boy." She said, hoping to forget a connection with her daughter through their shared joy of acquaintance, the look of her daughter's face turning red bringing her a small measure of peace, even as the girl's gaze slid down, her cheeks still flushed red.

"It's... not, not like that." Willow rolled the juice in the glass a little before taking a sip. _'This requires wisdom...'_

"So, what IS it like?" She asked, voice as moderate as she made it. It was hard, as she knew her own personal feelings on the subject, yet did not voice them. A toy for the night... a young man who would make love to her, ignite the flames inside her again. _'I feel so alone...'_

"He makes me laugh, even if he's being a dork. His... ex, has a habit of talking about him. I think she still likes him, even though they've made up. I caught him with his hands on her breasts and..." The girl trailed off, as she looked down at her not-as-impressive chest. _'Motherly advice...'_

"You will grow. Look at Winter, she's grown quite a lot in that regard." Her oldest daughter had been flat as a washboard until she was fifteen-sixteen, until she'd gained a fine set. Idly she wondered how Winter would react to the thought of her making out with the young blonde, before that thought was shelved.

"I... I know, mother. It is hard to... You know." She swallowed. "look at him. I just... I see a dork, a boy who's not good at being a Huntsman... But then I just..." She paused, her cheeks flushed a deep red. "I just see him busy and I see his wee-wee make this big round bulge and..." The girl's gaze was nervous, even though she had busied language that Willow hadn't heard since the girl had been six or seven... _'...'_

"You can call it a penis. It is what it is." She did not add that she'd had a feel for it as well. _'Pretty sizeable. Not a bad choice. Bigger than my husband, at least.'_ Her daughter seemed uncomfortable even more than she was.

"And when Ruby asks for his attention, I've caught her checking herself in the mirror for a moment, looking as if she wants to make sure that she looks fine. Mother..." The girl was thawing, even as she seemed to vent her personal frustrations. "I don't want to be..."

"Why not show him the goods? Just enter his room, a thin nightgown on, sneak into bed with him and then give a slow rub up and down his body." It was advice that she would have given whilst still in her funk, advice that did not suit the girl in the slightest. _'Weiss needs to woman up and grow herself a pair of tits. If I was her age...'_

If she was her youngest daughter's age, Jaune would be pressed up against a wall with her uvula getting very intimate with his glans in some secluded place, maybe a park or something.

"But..." Her daughter said, even as she placed a finger on her daughter's lips.

"Men aren't that smart, sweetheart." Her husband aside, of course. The man was smart in the art of finance and in ruining lives, yet there was little love lost between them. "Sometimes, a Schnee should just be bold." Weiss frowned, leaning forward and then sniffing loudly.

"You're drunk again." Willow felt her heart clench at those words. "I knew I should have asked Winter about this..."

She turned her head away from her daughter, as the tears came. She craved the touch of something solid, something manly to hold her, even as the words cut deep, as her attempt at inspiring her daughter had failed, having shamed herself once more.

She made sure that her breathing did not show any anomalies, as the tears came heavily, the realisation that she had never gained the trust of her daughter aside of some rare instances where emotions dictated things over logic. She looked like a mess in her reflection, yet her makeup was done right. She wouldn't make a mess. She brushed the back of her hand over her cheeks, erasing the evidence of her emotional oversight.

"Sometimes..." Her voice was the perfectly calm voice that she had when drunk, even though the torrent of emotions inside her continued. "Sometimes you will need to make a choice. Go for something, or watch someone else snatch what you want away."

' _Sienna, dear...'_ Her heart ached, as the urge to be held, to be cherished... to be loved and to give herself up fully, was overpowering her. She could feel the heart beat a little faster, even as her expression changed. _'I'm afraid that this is no longer going to be just... fun.'_

"What do you know?" Her daughter's response came to her words, as she had repeated the advice.

"Enough." She said, as she felt so terribly alone right now. She had the urge to grab her Scroll and... give him a call, to hear his voice and to feel... to feel a little less empty on the inside.

She went for the hard liquor, the rest of her orange juice downed in one gulp, pouring the glass dangerously full and then, without a care for the taste, just downing it. Her daughter had already tuned her out, a look of indifference on her face, as she tapped on her Scroll, the sound of her swallowing enough... and she still had to survive dinner with the young woman.

' _I don't want to know my life anymore.'_ What use was a woman her age if she was unloved by anyone, with too much Lien in her bank account to ever spend, who would wish for something _real_ , something _physical._

' _I just want to be loved.'_ Weiss did not notice that she shrank in on herself, the heavy emotions warring inside her.

* * *

Sienna's eyes watched the young man with a careful expression on her face, watching with perfect judgment whether he would have the ability to block the strikes, the wooden shield that he had in his hands enough to block the chain whip from penetrating, even as she flicked it at him, the head clicking, as it impacted against the wood, jerked loose. "Sloppy." She said, her voice like a drill instructor.

She caught sight of the young man cowering behind the shield, a solid strategy, yet her whip was in motion again, as she tried to pull the whip out of the shield. "You're going to get your ass sent straight to the hospital again, human." Her voice was not kind, as the whip twisted through the air, his shield blocking the swipe with an effort, the whip as comfortable a weapon for her as it could be, the air laden with the scent of something, even as she realized that he was making an effort for her. _'At least he is worth it...'_

It had not been long since she had been able to deal with his presence. As he stood there, his eyes holding that growing confidence, she let them linger just a little bit longer on his form, her stance still in the easiest for assault, her tongue sliding over her lips, her gaze held for a while longer. "Go ahead."

"Yah!" He charged, shield-first, her body moving immediately in an evasive maneouver, twisting around and sweeping his legs from underneath him, her elbow slamming right into his gut even before he'd landed on the floor, her breathing not even heavy, even as he struggled with his breath, his eyes looking up at him.

He looked delightfully sweaty and sticky, like a man who she had just gotten her hands on... and then she smelled something different. "Get yourself clean, boy." Her mood shifted entirely as she watched him get up. "It's been three hours, it's getting late. You'd best go back to Beacon. I've got no more time for you."

She watched him leave, her ears twitching lightly as she heard the steps, her chain whirling out and wrapping around something, a savage twist and a soft 'eep!' sound coming, as she turned to see a green-haired young woman land on the floor. "May I know what you are doing here, human?"

The girl's eyes were red, she could say, even as she tried to work on the chain, trying to loosen it, a jolt sent through the metal, the shock enough to make the flesh numb on good times... She'd not made sure that it was set to the safer setting, so the girl managed to give a grunt and a groan.

"Cinder sent me to... Ah..." _'Fall...'_ The woman had left a bad taste in her mouth upon the first meeting, even with the nebulous happenings that were occurring. Of course it would be some spy sent by Fall, to check out whether her interaction with the boy was going as planned.

"Follow me to my office." She said, her voice directing the girl to get up, the chain loosening with another twist of the button, the gravity Dust repelling the chain from the girl's leg. "We need to have some words then." She was not going to be a bother about things that involved Fall, even as the girl sent a look back at the showers, Sienna having little patience.

"Whatever trick you were using to block our eyes from seeing you... Use it again." The girl would follow along. Sienna had a perfect blip on the girl's motions, so whatever she tried... _'Scent is one of the things that humans always forget we have the advantage in.'_

The office was empty, yet her paranoia automatically filled in the spots where camera's could be put up. Her check of the office in the morning had found nothing, yet she made a personal thought to have them check the wiring either way. _'When messing with the Khan, you're going to get a whole load of trouble.'_ "Speak." She said.

"Cinder wanted to know a quick progress report on that which was spoken of earlier." The message did not say exactly what was required, yet Sienna could guess at the contents of the conversation, well enough that it was like that right as of this moment.

"Since the... horrid event at the docks, there has been a pushback against our movements. I am afraid that there are too many issues right now in order to properly deal with the request from Miss Fall." She kept it general, as if she was too busy. Technically, she WAS, but her secretary was able to handle a lot of the simple filing enough for her to keep busy.

"I am sure that your mistress knows well the issues when dealing with humans for one of my kind, yes? It is not as easy in this age of 'equality' to find a stable force to properly... prepare." The words were veiled, the word 'equality' dripping with sarcasm, her eyes looking at the red-eyed girl's face, seeing her gaze indecisive.

"What... What of the blonde human guy?" The girl asked, Sienna having a sneaking suspicion that she hadn't been prompted to ask about him from her Mistress' command. _'Feh.'_

"Did you not observe us?" She said. She was glad that she chose to personally keep her private feelings and her public persona strictly separated, showing nothing but the Leader that the White Fang needed.

"I did... But..." The girl seemed to look away. "You were kind of harsh on him." Sienna grinned at that. _'Pity for the blonde...'_

She craved excellence. She craved control. She craved the respect that she was due as a woman, as a Faunus. She craved... things that were not best mentioned to anyone else save herself. She had entertained thoughts, horridly wicked thoughts that would have let teenage Sienna blush red like Adam's hair.

"Was your mistress not harsh on you? I owe the boy. He has managed to let us avoid a PR disaster and I am _NOT_ ungrateful to those who know the proper way to respect the Faunus." Jaune often looked a little terrified when she trained him, undoubtedly due to her attack pattern, unpredictable and thus, not easy to spot for him. Her eyes bored into the red-eyed girl, as she licked over her lips.

"N-no, but..." Sienna's eyes narrowed. "She's not as harsh to us as you are to him." The admission to her was private, yet Sienna cared not one whit for it.

"Harshness aside... Stay out of it. The human gets what he deserves." Her voice was implacable and resolute, her eyes bringing with it that message that told the girl just where exactly the thoughts were heading within the tiger Faunus' mind, as she looked at the girl carefully.

"Al... alright. I'll just leave you be and inform Cinder." The words were enough for Sienna to realize that the woman had more pawns under her control than she had thought.

' _Now... where is my...'_ The girl made for the door and her chain whip lashed out, wrapping around that neck. "Give it back." She hissed, the girl's face turning red as the chain whip sparked, the girl dragged back, even as something shone in her hand.

A memento of the time where she had still been one of the new members of the high command of the White Fang, a single silver minted coin with the White Fang emblem on it. It had mostly sentimental value yet it was worth a pretty penny on the illegal circuit, especially now that she had been the High Leader for a while. _'I better tuck this somewhere safe.'_

The girl handed the coin back, the empty socket from which it had been pried filled up once more. "Try that again and they'll never find your body." It was a threat that she took seriously... and the girl was intimidated enough. If you knew the White Fang and you knew Sienna Khan, you knew that if she wanted you dead, there would be a howling mob of Faunus outside your door ready to tear you to shreds.

"A-alright. So... I'll leave." There was no confidence in the girl's stance anymore, as Sienna knew that she had beaten the girl, disturbing her stance by snagging her during her observation and the second, when she had seen that the girl had snatched the prized memento. _´I better do another check...'_

She was not going to store the good stuff in her office anymore, she decided.

It was ten minutes later that she realized that she had left Jaune in the showers, without properly seeing him out. It would not be proper for the young man to find his own way out and come across some of the shadier members of the White Fang, after all.

She had standards to maintain for her people.

* * *

She looked at her daughter, the steak in front of her seasoned perfectly by the chef, the smell of the food delightful, yet her daughter's appearance not even making her twitch, the morose expression hidden with a careful manner. _'You should DO something, Willow. Say something.'_

"The food is good, isn't it?" She said, the conversational topic bland and useless to them, yet she was not going to give up on communicating with her daughter, Weiss' face showing clearly that she was not as willing to share comments with her mother anymore, after the weakness that she had shown in the car.

"It is suitable, mother." The tone of her voice was distant, cool... just like how her son referred to her, when he thought she would not hear. Her oldest daughter occasionally called her Mama, yet that was only sparsely, when she was not as drunk as she appeared to be and Winter was charitable. _'My family is a mess...'_

The hopes of her heart for some reconciliation were dashed, even with the hurdle of communicating with her youngest daughter between her. "Good."

' _What do I say? If it was Sienna, I could be as blunt about it as possible, ask her what crawled up into her ass and laid eggs...'_ Her daughter was special. She was the one who had been the heir for the Schnee Dust Company after Winter had decided to run towards the Academy to become a Huntress and eventually a specialist, Weiss remaining and... not being treated as well as she had been. _'I was a mess...'_

She cut into the steak some more, her thoughts ruminating on the efforts of the past month, straying towards the blonde young man once more, even as her hand moved the fork, pricking the meat and bringing it to her mouth, taking a slow bite of the flesh. _'It tastes good... But my stomach is a mess.'_

Not eating a single thing made the food that DID enter her stomach ache, her eyes looking at the half-way drained glass of red wine that she had requested, Weiss picking a non-alcoholic beverage, seemingly to make a point. _'Jaune..._ '

She wished that he was here. That he would sit at her side at the table, that she would be able to touch him, to see him smile. Her heart pumped a little faster at the thought, even as she wondered how it would be to have… selected otherwise.

' _They would have a father. A young man who cared for their mother.'_ It was not adultery if the marriage had failed ever since the first assumption of the spot of CEO, Jacques Schnee being the ultimate climber in the social aspect. _'I'm… I'm thinking about it and considering it.'_

It was a dangerous line of thought. A very dangerous line of thought, one which led to financial ruin… yet she could not help herself. Her hand grabbed the glass of wine, raising it once more to her lips, sipping it, even as she exhaled sharply, condensation making the glass fog up a little as her hot breath basked the insides in warmth, the rich red wine sliding down her throat. _'He could be your son. You could…'_

Her body reacted. Sinful, horribly sensual thoughts arose, as she realized that… things could change. Money was everything in this world. She had the financial power of a BULWARK of the industry behind her. She rubbed her thighs together, a complicated expression on her face. _'You would be stealing him from your daughter…'_ She gave Weiss a look, the girl busy with the stir fried shrimp salad, delicately eating it, like the princess that she nearly was.

She could SEE her daughter's face twisted in lust as she moaned below the taller young man, her whole body heating up like it had gone mad, as she realized that he had a good shot at actually becoming her son in law. It would be… fortunate, if he were to get with her daughter…

Yet the selfish part of herself told her that she wanted him for _herself._ She wanted to be the one who was held, the one who felt that young man erupt with a passion inside and who would be able to run her fingers through his hair as she lavished kisses onto his skin, who would be able to feel his warmth through the nights that had been lonely once upon a while.

The glass shattered in her fingers, leaving her to hold only the stem, a surprised look on her face, as she hadn't realized that she had been squeezing it that hard. "Ah… That's unfortunate."

A waiter came with a towel, allowing herself to clean up a little, the dress already ruined, as the man profusely apologized, the glass perhaps having had a weakness, perhaps some unseen flaw, even as she brushed the towel over her dress. _'At least Weiss looks surprised.'_

Her daughter was looking at her, concern within those eyes at the sudden action, Willow's eyes catching sight of her fingers bleeding. "I would appreciate it if you could bring me a plaster or somesuch. I seem to have cut my fingers. It is no fault of yours… I must not know my strength."

The words were as much defusing as well as the gentle request for a fix, the look on her daughter's face still concerned, even as she smiled at her daughter. "At least the food hasn't been soaked in wine. You know… I quite like coq au vin." The Valean stew was something that she'd had years before, during a business lunch with a traditionalist entrepreneur. The wine had been good too, pulled from the private stock of the man.

"Mother…" She sighed, even as Willow cut another piece with her bandaged fingers holding the knife awkwardly, as a fresh glass of wine arrived. _'Who cares about a little stain? She is at least talking to me.'_ The hopes that she had right now, were getting higher.

"So… What are you going to do?" She asked, Weiss looking at her with that same angry look.

"Nothing, he's… He's probably not interested in me. I've got to compete against Yang… and Ruby is making eyes at him too. She claims she's just looking out for her best male friend but…" She wished that she could hug her daughter.

"Make a move." She said, Weiss looking at her, about to say something but then… then she looked a little less certain. "You've been raised to be the best at what you do. Seize the opportunity and strike whilst the Dust deposit is full."

"Mother, I…" She sighed, as she glanced at her for the longest of whiles, her plate given a glance, then to her once more. "Forget it. Winter has more experience in that field than you do. You married father young."

' _That doesn't mean that I didn't do stuff with boys! How can you…'_ It was a sign of how far she had sunk. Her daughter didn't seem receptive to the lesson that she was trying to teach, either due to shyness or due to inferiority. _´It's not in the tits where a man seeks his solace… It's in being the one to claim his attention and take it.'_

On the trip back, it was a silent Weiss who sat next to her, not even willing to talk, her face complicated as she looked out of the window. The mother felt uncertain around her daughter, knowing that there was a conundrum for her to puzzle about... something that could go wrong and yet... not wrong. _'This is a mess. Sienna likes the boy, I like the boy, a whole pack of teenage Huntresses like the boy...'_

"Good night, Weiss." She said, as she tried to lean in for a good night kiss to her daughter, only to feel her daughter's hand against her chest.

"No." Came the answer and her daughter got up, opening the car door and then stepping out, the door slamming shut behind her, leaving Willow awkwardly leaning forward.

"Ma'am? To the hotel?" The voice of the bodyguard reached her ears, and she gave a soft nod of her head.

"Yes, please." She said, even as her world came crashing down. "I need to make a call. Please... please give me privacy."

As the shades worked to obscure her and the noise-canceller worked to shield her from outside ears, Willow Schnee's head went down, hands seizing her face as tears came, heart-wrenching sobs coming from her mouth as she realized that she had lost whatever tie that bound her to her daughter.

It did not stop easily, as the tears kept on coming, her emotions going haywire, as her own daughter had denied her the chance to give a good night's kiss... had not even said goodbye to her own mother.

' _No...'_

* * *

He shrugged off his clothing, stepping under the shower. Sienna had been brutal in her training, his stomach hurting just a little from where her elbow had delivered a hard blow to it, her eyes having been fierce and unforgiving in their sharpness, her posture looking like she was just about to beat him senseless... Yet she had restrained herself.

She had taught him important things through doing them with him, with an eagerness that seemed to be more than just a little thought on the subject... and her clothing was tight and form-fitting, the top that she wore fitting her well, whilst her toned legs really showed through the leggings.

His hand reached for the shampoo, rubbing it into his skin, the smell of the shampoo good enough to wash away some of the worries of his mind, even with his hands working the shampoo into his hair, the hot spray of water battering his body with cleansing water.

He could hear the door open up, the tread of feet a little lighter than a man's showing that it was a woman, the faint shut of the door and the soft exhale that definitely was feminine appearing to come from Sienna, though the tone was a little deeper. "I'll be right out, so you can take a shower."

The woman must've paused for a moment, getting her shoes off or something, as he could hear the rustling of clothing, a jacket of some sort hung up, even as he heard the faint click of a belt buckle being undone. _'Did she wear a belt?'_

He rinsed the shampoo from his scalp, the water clean enough, groping outside of the shower section for the towel, finding nothing. A giggle, a little richer than Sienna's, sounded, and he felt the towel be handed to him, the giggle's tone barely registering. "This isn't funny, Miss Khan." He rubbed the skin dry, before wrapping the towel around his waist.

As he emerged from the warmth of the shower area, he caught sight of red hair, a set of amused blue eyes looking into his own. "Good evening, Mister Arc." A set of horns grew from the hair, the face definitely familiar, even as he was grabbed. _'Adam?'_

Hands pressed him against the damp shower wall, his utterance of "Adam, what in th-" smothered by the fact that one of those hands had just torn the towel off, throwing it to the side, his gaze following the motion where that hand had been and then realizing that there was a VERY nice set of breasts that bounced lightly with every breath that 'Adam' made, a set of blue eyes looking into his own. The lack of a burn scar over one of the eyes was definitely something that clued him in that this wasn't just... regular old Adam.

"My..." The Adam with Double D's lookalike said, as her hand reached out and seized a hold of his lower sword, a faint brush of fingers giving a tug. "The name's not Adam, hunky boy..."

Her lips pressed ever so gently against his own in a kiss. _'Does this make me gay, when I'm kissing some sort of hot version of Adam?'_ He hoped that it did not. Adam was a nice guy, but kissing him... Yeah.

"Call me Eve. Eve Taurus."

The woman smirked, showing teeth. It was a very Adam-like smirk. _'I either went into an alternate universe where Adam is a hot chick, or he's not told me that he has a sister.'_

* * *

 **Oh yes. Adam has a sister. They don't exactly see eye to eye. (Pun not intended, but I heard Red Bull gives you wings.) More history on Evelyn 'Eve' Taurus... yeah, sometime when she's hitting up Sienna.**

 **She's not someone who Adam likes to speak of, though they were members of the White Fang together. Willow though... she's in a very bad spot, mentally.**

 **Next chapter in 2 weeks. Leave a review! Things are afoot!**


	22. Closed Change

**Chapter 22: Closed Change**

 **Yes, there are some heavy elements in this story in this chapter.**

* * *

Walking to the hotel, Willow watched the bodyguards move to clear a path for her to walk through, without needless distractions. Her makeup was a mess, yet she had put herself to a somewhat appreciable look once more, as the eyes of the media were everywhere. "Ma'am, would you like something for the headache?" The bodyguard asked, as he pulled open the door for her, her fingers tapping on the small pad of the safe, her jewels put away for the night. She did not have the willpower to put everything in its place, even as she looked at the man. _'Whatever.'_

She nodded, as he offered her some pills, probably the herbal brand, his face a new one amongst her bodyguards, only attached to her once she'd reached Vale. It was a nice gesture, even as she downed the pills with some orange juice, feeling them settle into the stomach that was mostly empty save for the steak and the wine that she'd drunk earlier at dinner with her daughter. _'Why...'_

Her thoughts were cluttered and a mess as she stumbled into her bedroom, a woozy feeling going through her mind, even as her thoughts lingered on Weiss and her words, her lack of trust in her own mother... _Jaune_.

' _Jaune...'_ Her heart did backward flips, pounding in her chest suddenly, as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her hand grabbed her Scroll and she threw herself onto the bed.

She rang his number as she settled down in her bed. The clock said that it was nearly half past ten, the three bottles that she had guzzled down like some car needing fuel already scattered onto the table, one leaving a small puddle of expensive liquor there for the staff to clean up, even as she heard it connect.

"Yeah?" Just hearing his voice made her tear up, a sound coming from her throat again that was enough.

"Please... Can you come over?" Her voice was choked, as tears continued to well up from her eyes. "I need you right now." She craved someone who could understand, someone who could not... who would not...

"Please... Please Jaune, even if it's just for ten minutes." Her hand grabbed the bottle and she downed it immediately, hearing his response, a soft 'yes', even as the alcohol burned in her throat. She felt a little woozy, a little affected. _'What... what was I doing?'_

Her body felt cold. She wrapped the covers around her a little tighter, even as she pulled the covers around her a little tighter. The heavy liquor was good... yes, it would warm her up a little.

She drank the bottle dry in less than ten minutes, setting it on the nightstand, barely aware that it shattered on the ground after she'd put it there with unsteady hands.

 _'Yes... Maybe just a little nap...'_

She had already confirmed with her bodyguards that Jaune would be allowed access to her, the days before.

 _'I feel so cold...'_

* * *

He watched the teasing smirk on the woman's face, as her fingers expertly brushed over him. "Big boy... Hmmm..." He couldn't help it, growing harder in her grip, even as those sharp blue eyes looked up at him. "Adam never said that he knew you..."

"H-he doesn't really speak of you either." A laugh, light and warm, from her throat. It was not something that seemed to come hard to her. Her fingers continued to stroke, slow little tugs.

"He wouldn't." Her breath was hot, her fingers continuing with that well-practised motion.

"He's embarrassed." An arm wrapped around her neck and she was savagely jerked back.

"You slutty little cow!" Sienna's voice was high-pitched and he felt how the hand left him, even as he watched Sienna seize the Bovine Faunus by the neck and keep her in a hold that looked painful. Those orange eyes were hard and cold, fiery anger within them that both excited as well as terrified him, his whole body shaking a little, even as he grew even harder.

"You have NO right to do something like that here, to him!" Sienna's voice was laden with anger, even as Eve's breasts bounced due to the motion, a low groan coming from his mouth, Sienna's gaze looking at his direction. "You! What are you doing, getting all excited, eh?"

"You KNOW you want that, Sienna. How long has it been since you've been- Ah! Mind the merchandise! I've got that shoot to do in the w-" The bovine Faunus yelped, even as her back was bent in an unnatural manner.

"You are NOT to lay hands on a human whilst he's my property!" She probably meant to say 'at my property', he figured, as that would be strange. "You can go fuck and suck whoever you want, Eve, but fucking STAY with your fucking HANDS off people, no matter how-"

Sienna's eyes were currently looking at something lower and he realized that he was still as naked as before, with his little Jaune Mors still saluting the two women. _'It's a biological reaction.'_ "H-hey!" He said, his own cheeks heating up as the gaze didn't slide away.

"See? I've had a lot, but that is one NICE piece of fine di-" The woman's words were cut off as Sienna choked her a little more.

"Fine cock or not, we are NOT going to cause an incident of sexual molestation HERE. Do you know how BADLY it would reflect on us?" The woman was aware of her own public image, Jaune knew, and he was pretty sure that it would look bad either way, but he could see that Eve seemed to quieten down a little.

"So... Taking him home and milking him is okay?" The question came, and Sienna made a sound that was half-between disgust and something that actually sounded like curiosity.

"Hell NO." He felt himself slowly growing less aroused, even as Sienna's eyes fixed him with a look.

"And what are YOU looking at, huh? Fancy some of this loose cow's beef slabs?" Sienna's grip on Eve was stronger now, the woman actively trying to pry those hands off. She was turning redder in the face.

"Sienna, stop, hey, I need to breathe!" The woman's protests went ignored, even as delicately manicured and red-painted nails tried to pull the leader of the White Fang's arm away from her throat. "Help, Sienna, I'm feeling faint. Stop it!"

"Sienna, let her go." He said, Sienna's eyes looking at his face again. The arm disappeared from Adam's sister's throat, even as the Tiger Faunus huffed in that way that she often did.

"Get dressed. I don't... I don't want to look at you naked." Her ears twitched, Eve's eyes going wide before she shot a glance at him. "You, get dressed too. You're distracting."

"Yes, High Leader!" The salute that Eve gave was mocking, yet she went for her bra once more. Jaune took a good look at that chest of hers, finding that Eve and Yang may have a similar cup size, though Eve obviously was older. "Ahh, I'll give you the special treatment. Whole filmography, how's that sound?"

"Don't do it." Sienna cautioned, her body turned away, her cheeks looking oddly flushed. "It's not good." The sound that Eve made could be something that would be counted as annoyance.

"I'll have you know that I won the AFE award for best lead actress, Sienna!" There seemed to be some bruised pride there, even as Sienna turned around, Jaune just in the process of getting his pants on.

"The AFE is nothing to really speak of in polite company. Adam broke off all ties with you the moment you started doing that!" The redhead shrugged, her head turning to him.

"Needs some more muscle..." Her tongue licked over her lips. "But whatever works for us, eh Sienna?" The woman growled at the insinuation, something that Jaune could understand. _'They must be close...'_

"So, how do you know each other... eh, I mean, I can see that you're Adam's sister..." Sienna sighed, even as he fastened his belt once more, pulling the shirt on. The towel was a lost cause by now, as he stuffed it in his bag.

"We used to be in the White Fang together. Adam and I had a bit of a spat because of my preferences. He's always been such a whiny boy... Not even thinking 'let's make friends', just going 'they hurt me, so I must pay them back pain'. I mean, I do like to get hit a few times, but that isn't all I'm into."

She grinned, even as she wrapped an arm around Sienna. "Though... if you want to know what makes Sienna go wild..."The tiger Faunus' gaze turned lethal. "I know ALL the spots that make her go wild."

"Do that and the only roles you will be able to get are as a leper woman, because I will make sure that your face looks like it went and made out with an asphalt road." The threat was dark, yet expected by the woman, as Eve laughed.

"My, you weren't so shy when you told me that you like a very big hard cock on a man whenever he looks at you. Mister Hero here seems to meet that requirement..." Sienna's cheeks flushed red, though whether it was embarrassment or murderous anger, he couldn't quite tell. "Hell... I can imagine that you'd go all traditional, guiding him to the bedroom and then slipping the kimono off your gorgeous shoulders and stretching on the bed... Wanting to have him lay his claim on you and then FUCK the ever-loving stuffing out of you."

The whip was in the woman's hand before the redhead had even finished the sentence, the chain looping around the woman's neck and tightening. "Eve, another word and I will personally send you back to Mistral in a crate."

The woman gurgled something, even as Sienna tightened her grip on the chain, Eve's face turning crimson and then purple, her eyes looking fearfully at Sienna. _'She's pressed a little too far... Sienna isn't someone who is fond of idle fancies... And why would she like a seventeen-year-old boy like me?'_

He couldn't understand why she would desire him, as that was a ludicrous thought of itself. Why would someone so powerful fall for a dweeb, a geek, a loser... like him?

"Sienna, let her go. She's starting to turn purple..." He could feel something inside him, even as the thought of Sienna like that...

"See? He likes you." Eve said, her finger pointing at his pants, even as Sienna fixed him with a look that would have Professor Goodwitch taking notes on strictness. It was not something that he liked to have aimed at him, so his excitement shrank. "Why don't you go and have fun together... I can wait outside? Watch, maybe?"

"Arc, get your human ass out of here. It seems that Eve and I need to have... words." The tone that Sienna used was deadly and with that heated element of her giving a command that had to be heeded, a shudder going through his body as he realized that she was not in a good mood... and he probably should not be either, yet he felt confused. His body had responded, Eve Taurus was a very attractive woman, possibly a few years younger than Sienna...

As he left, the receptionist gave him a little wave, the Faunus man returning to his duty of making sure that whatever it was, was logged. They were good people. A bit prejudiced at first, yet they had accepted him, undoubtedly on Sienna's wish. Not every human treated them badly... And well, he had good hopes that the Faunus would be as high in everyone's esteem as they were in his own.

His Scroll buzzed with a call request, opening it up and looking at the caller ID, noticing that it was Willow. Checking the time, he wondered why she would call him now, his finger sliding the call to the open section.

"Yeah?" He didn't get to finish, as Willow's voice, thick with emotion, came from the speaker.

"Please... can you come over?" The emotions in that voice were heavy, unpleasant and sad. "I need you right now." A sob, something that he had heard from the woman once before, as she continued.

"Please, please Jaune. Even if it's just for ten minutes..." She sounded so upset, that he knew that his plans for getting back to Beacon had just been nixed.

"Yes." History was changed with that single word.

He did not know that yet.

* * *

"What the FUCK was that, Eve?" She growled at the woman as she sat in the chair in front of her desk, the top that she wore being bland and white, Eve Taurus' face looking challenging in its expression, even as Sienna raged.

"Just showing the goods to a boy who saved your ass, Sienna." Her voice was enough to rile Sienna up even more, even with the sudden weight on her shoulders continuing to bother her, her eyes sparking with annoyance, as Eve Taurus shifted a little. "You tolerate him... Which is good. You probably would've torn his head off and shit down his neck if you'd met him in the streets."

' _She isn't wrong. I would have been... hostile.'_ There had been some hostility and suspicion on her end, yet he had warmed her to him with his manner. That clumsy manner, the flowers... _'I guess... I guess dancing lessons were alright.'_

"So... You two fucking?" The comment came out of the blue and Sienna's head turned to look at Eve Taurus.

"Do you REALLY think that I would do such a thing?" She said, infusing her voice with the greatest amount of strictness that she could, knowing that Eve would be able to pounce on any sign of weakness, Eve's lips wetted with her tongue, as she looked into Sienna's eyes with those piercing blue ones.

"Then you don't mind if I do give the boy the ride of his life, huh?" The tease was enough, even as Sienna balked against it. She did not show it on her face.

"I'm afraid that he's going vegetarian if he wants some of your beef." The taunt was enough to make Eve grin, her hands grabbing those sacks of meat and giving them a little wobble.

"Good one, Sienna... That's the leader I can somewhat respect, yeah... Any news from Adam?" The teasing quit, even as Eve looked serious. _'Business as usual.'_

She couldn't help the thought of Eve doing things with Jaune out of her mind though, even as she gave a brief summary of the events, Eve listening attentively. "I'd heard that he was hospitalized... Big stride for Faunus and human cooperation, Adam 'racist' Taurus himself helping out. Nearly bit my tongue off when I read it on the Scroll feed. Fuck... He's really had a change of heart ever since he gutted that fellow, didn't he?"

"Jaune has a way of changing people's image of how the world is stacked." She used his personal name, Eve giving a little nod at that.

"Yeah, you're using his first name... That's rare, Sienna. You usually use their last name, or just refer to them with an angry nickname." Eve knew her little tricks and peculiarities, mostly due to being one of the people close to the founders of the White Fang. "So... Really nothing between the two of you?"

She could say yes, but then the woman would tease her... which might spread. It was not that she wasn't capable of trusting Eve, yet her proclivities... They were definitely something that ran in circles. "Do I LOOK like I'm having sex regularly?"

"Hey... We can get you in a bikini... nice little background music... You'd be a hit with the crowds. I know I am." The death glare that Sienna gave was enough to stall that conversation, as the line of employment that Eve busied definitely was something that Sienna would not be caught dead in.

"Suggest that again and I'll make you regret it." The woman's face showed fear. Sienna grinned. _'It seems that she remembered the last time she suggested something like that.'_

"Oh, eh... No need. You'll do you. So, eh... mama Kali is coming to visit?" The topic was changed, just like that. Her eyes met with the woman, noticing that it had been a good choice of switching.

"Week, maybe eight days. She ought to come with Ghira." The nod that Eve gave was enough, as she hummed faintly.

"Need a place cracked?" Eve asked, as she rolled her shoulders. Sienna nodded.

"Your specialty is to get in and out, no fuss." The redhead nodded, as she looked at Sienna with a look of sly amusement.

"That's what the guys do to me, sweetheart. In and out. Nothing like that dusty ol' pussy that you've got growling down there." The flat look that Sienna gave her was enough, even as Sienna's fingers brushed over the bridge of her nose.

"You're an ass, Eve." She muttered, even as her eyes focused. "Can you do it, though?"

"Of course."A grin, confident and cocky. "What do you need me to get?"

"Civilian administration, look for a woman named Cinder Fall. Check Huntsman Reg as well, whilst you're at it." The redheaded Faunus nodded, licking her lips in a distracted manner.

"Danger level?" The question came, even as Sienna responded, her face unruffled by the way that was spoken to her. It was business, clear and cut. Eve was the best of the best.

"Leviathan." Eve frowned.

"That's one dangerous lady then... What's she done?" Sienna pressed her lips tightly together.

"The docks incident was instigated by her. That blonde guy? He was nearly killed. Our reputation was bolstered a little thanks to the PR that he did, unwittingly." Eve nodded at that, calculating things already. "Don't think with your pussy, Eve."

"One date with the boy, alright? I..."She frowned, as she looked at Sienna. The death glare was back on the woman's face. "We'll make sure it stays above the belt, alright? If he asks, I will, but if he doesn't..." She smirked at Sienna. "I'm going to go and rock his world."

"I trust you with that mission, not with the young man."Sienna said, as she looked right into Eve's eyes, the confident grin on Eve's face looking like it needed to be wiped off. _'She is NOT ruining him for me. I want him to look me in the eyes when he's with me.'_

Eve Taurus had been a thorn in the eye of Adam for years. Ever since the White Fang had split into the pacifist and the militant factions, Adam had firmly belonged to the militant section, whilst Eve had remained with the pacifistic faction, eventually starting her career in the line of employ that she got some fame in. _'Bah, I could think of better ways to spend my time.'_

"Of course, of course... So... What's he like?" Her frown demanded clarification, Eve coughing lightly. "Adam. What's my little broody bull doing?"

Sienna grinned, as she pulled out a small notebook. "Oh, I guess it's better to see for yourself. He's been doing quite a lot better."

Eve tilted her head as he looked at the address that was pulled out. "He moved, didn't he?" Sienna grinned, conspiratorially.

"Oh... He's moved IN with a girlfriend." Adam was getting his just desserts for continuously smiling like a lunatic, just because his girlfriend fucked him good, rubbing the salt right in her wounds at the thought of not getting anything done like that aside from toys.

"Ooh! I guess I'll have to swing by on the sly..." The look that Eve gave her was something a little wicked. "Think he'd like it if I sneak in his bed again?" Sienna groaned.

"Not after that one time..." Sienna remembered, Eve grinned.

"She only noticed after she'd tried to go for the dick, Sienna. Adam wasn't highly enthusiastic that I wanted to join in." Sienna's face said it all. She didn't need to go into the depth of that one encounter, yet it had been enough to permanently sour the relationship between Adam and Eve.

"So... Cinder Fall, right?" Eve said, back to business.

"Get me everything." The challenging grin on Eve's face was enough.

"Of course, High Leader. Ample reward is provided..."

When Eve sauntered out of her office with a sway of her hips, Sienna sighed deeply. "That woman just makes me feel like I've got a burden on my back..." She was a friend, but not as close as Kali was. The friendship between the Faunus of the White Fang was different for each member.

* * *

Jaune stood in the lobby of the fancy hotel, his face showing weariness as he knew that this would be another task. "Suite number three-fourty-one, I'm looking for a Mister Green?" The receptionist looked at him, her face showing severe disapproval of him, a young man wearing a hoodie that had seen better times.

"I will ring them, sir." The woman did so, as her eyes fixed him with a look that certainly wasn't friendly. "A mister Arc for a Mister Green?"

The woman's expression changed, as she nodded. "He is expecting you. It seems you have connections up high, young man." He didn't smile, only nodded. He walked to the elevator, the bell boy standing there at the opening.

"Which floor, good sir?" The fancy accent wasn't something that he enjoyed, yet it was something that was proper.

"Seventh floor." The number was pressed and he felt the brief feeling of weightlessness and nausea, the feeling of being in motion something that he could barely stomach, even as he braced himself against the wall.

"Is everything alright?" He shook his head.

"Motion sickness. Just... never really agreed with most modes of transport." The smile on the young man's face was as fake in its sympathy as it was, as the elevator's ding distracted him.

"Have a great day, sir." Jaune was out of the elevator in no time, the doors closing once more behind him, his eyes watching as the hallway stood before him.

He found the door swiftly, knocking on it once, the door opening, a bodyguard's face seen. "Ah, you're here. Miss Willow asked to see you?" The man was grizzled, his expression fierce in most cases, his eyes looking him over.

"She sounded a little upset, so I'm here to check up on her." The man nodded, seemingly in understanding.

"Bad night with the little Miss. Please... Do what you can for her." The man had said once upon a while that he had been attached to the protection of Willow Schnee for nearly twenty years, the man having served as a Specialist in the Atlesian forces.

"We need to frisk him, don't we?" The other man, someone newly attached to the retinue, said, Jaune giving a soft laugh at the suggestion. It had been a few weeks since the mandatory frisking had been canceled on Willow's insistence.

"Protocol is protocol... But I don't think he'll be laying a hand on the Miss." The man had been present when she had made him such an offer in the coffee shop, the new guy not yet having been attached to the detail, so the exchange had been missed. "Go on, son."

He opened the door towards the apartment, the smell of alcohol hitting him in the nose, his face showing distaste, as he saw three bottles standing on the table, the 'good stuff' with high alcohol content. That they were priced at a hundred Lien per bottle was something he only knew due to his sister's own habit.

"Willow?" He called out to her, hoping that she was still conscious enough to hear him. She had broken down once before, during their first meeting. He saw a single heel stand lonely at the door opening to the bedroom.

"Are you... alright?" He called out, stepping closer towards the shoe, his eyes taking in the rich decor, his gaze searching for the woman. _'She's not hiding to surprise me, is she?'_

He looked around the living space for a moment, before he pushed open the door to the bedroom, watching how faint light came from the bedside lamp. "Willow?" _'Let's hope she's not waiting for me in bed, wearing only lingerie... After Eve and Sienna... I'm not sure how much more I can take.'_

The heavy smell of vomit came to his nose as he entered, the woman on the bed laying there silently, as his heart froze. He could see the pale platinum hair on the pillow, her hand holding the Scroll that was locked due to inactivity now, laid there in her grip, fingers clutching at it.

Her lips were coated with what seemed to be a reddish froth, her skin pale... almost blue. Willow's chest did not seem to rise in the rhythm of slumber, a puddle of blackish stuff on the mattress beside her pillow.

' _Oh fuck.'_

He moved, faster than he had ever expected, at her bedside immediately, tearing the cover off, placing his hand at her throat in order to check for a pulse, his fumbling making her head tilt to the side, neck easily turned.

' _No, no, no!_ '

He looked at Willow's pale features, her head turning like that of a doll, laid on the side, something reddish leaking from her mouth, even as the stains on the side of the bed definitely were vomit.

"Willow? Willow?!" He called out to her, smacking her cheek, hoping that it would awaken her.

' _No, no! Come on, come on!_ '

He watched, as there was no sudden rousing, that pale face looking as lifeless as it ever did. She looked... No. He was not giving up. The woman was beautiful in her own way, a mother who had lost her way, who had her own life yet to live and was too young to die like this!

' _Think, Jaune... Think. What did they teach you... Alright, breathing... she's got to breathe if she's not...'_

He didn't want to think about it, the nightgown that she wore just torn open, the fabric ripped apart in a brusque manner, his eyes catching sight of her chest, which did not rise or fall.

' _Fuck...'_

He placed his head against her chest slightly above her breasts, trying to listen for a heartbeat.

' _Come on, come on, come on...'_

He heard nothing save for the dull roaring in his ears, his own heartbeat playing a slow rumbling beat in his ears, even as the pale face seemed to pound home the facts into his mind.

She was cold. Colder than any human body should be, the fading warmth making him feel like she was far away.

' _She's so cold..._ '

Her chest did not rise yet as far as he could feel, her cool skin against his ear. There was no heartbeat that he could hear. Her elegant face was bluish-white in colour and there was no sign of life in her that he could see.

' _No...'_

Willow Schnee was dead.

He'd been too late.

' _NO!'_

* * *

 **Oof... Yeah, that happened. I can safely say that ONE of the many possible ships was just torpedoed down to the bottom of the sea thanks to the happenings around Willow.**

 **I had to break some of the Willow segments off from the last chapter because the flow would have been ruined with too much depressiveness and got inspired to write this over the weekend. It's going to change some people's experiences, ladies and gentlemen!**

 **Alcohol poisoning is serious, people!**

 **Next update at the 26** **th** **, though! And before you go 'You have ruined this story forever' just... read the next chapter instead of going like 'the story is ruined', alright? Some things have to happen to make people be shook awake to the reality of the world.**

 **Some people have to die, some people have to live... And this is where a storyline split can happen. A pivotal moment in-story where the plot gets derailed from its natural course of events... Like in the earlier chapter, where the Assassination of Sienna Khan would have birthed a different relationship between Jaune and Willow.**

 **The question though... Would a single death change the life of those around them? Yes. It would. One death can ignite a world war, fueling another with the resentment that it brings to the defeated parties.**

 **11 days, people. That's when the next chapter hits. The life and times of Willow Schnee. Her thoughts and feelings on the young man named Jaune Arc.**

 **Leave a review.**


	23. Danse Macabre

**Chapter 23: Danse Macabre**

 **Watch the dance of death, ladies and gentlemen… For what may seem, may yet not be.**

 **I admire your passion and devotion to the story though. I'd probably use the tags Romance/Hurt &Comfort/Humour to tag it… because it's not always doom and gloom in this story. The emotional responses though… I was surprised by that. A good story is one that moves the people reading it. It seems that this is a good story.**

 **Thank you.**

* * *

She felt like a cloud, slowly drifting out of her body. Her whole self felt airy, as if it were something that was barely bound to the flesh, the form on the bed paler after each moment that she looked at it.

Her own body.

Her flesh, face currently at ease. Vile vomit clogging up her throat, her last breath having been… seconds? Minutes? She couldn't quite tell.

Her head turned in that spectral place slowly, hearing him call out for her. She felt the warmth of his presence as he entered the room, not using words, his expression pale and gaunt, as he witnessed her. There was nothing but the presence that he had, as he looked at her body, her hand trying to touch his body.

It went straight through his flesh, obviously. She had seen this mechanic at work with her father, the creatures that he had summoned up through the use of his Glyphs having that same ethereal quality, the soul of the Schnee family having the unique semblance of Glyphs… Something that could store the soul of the Grimm which died and then bring them back as a fighting force under her command.

She had never been a fighter. She had never worked in the mines, in the digs in far-flung places, where the men spat grit and the women chewed iron. She saw him tear the nightgown off, her heart yearning for that touch, even as the life-force within that body started to fade, her finger tracing over his cheek. _' I will miss you when I am gone.'_

The darkness beckoned. It was time to enter the night.

* * *

He looked at that cooling body, his anger rising inside of him. _'Is this what she wanted? Is THIS_ _ **IT**_ _?'_ There was a memory that tugged at his mind, of words once spoken, of words uttered by a redheaded princess of a woman, strong and capable. He looked down at the senseless and lifeless body and his hands flared up with the energy of his soul.

"Willow." His voice was stronger than he assumed that it could be, even as he knew that commotion would draw the attention of the bodyguards. Her body felt so cold, she was naked on her upper body… But he forced it anyways. "With whatever power I have… Fuck, by eternity, my guard protects you…"

The yellow-golden aura zapped around him, as he felt it feed into her cold and lifeless shell. "Please…"

Straight through the fingers, into the cold flesh that was slowly cooling, the warmth that it had once had as she had touched him… The good memories of her teasing, her company more akin to a friend than to a woman who wanted to bone him.

" _Here is your big sister, Winter."_ The words were spoken by her voice, even as he could feel his Aura feed into her body. His eyes closed for an instant, focusing the full brunt of his power onto her, feeding her with the life-giving Aura inside of him. " _She is going to be your protector. She loves you very much- Ah, don't touch that, dear. Little Weiss doesn't need to have that yet, but spilling is mean…"_

He was pleading, begging her, his voice cracking, as he fed **MORE** of his Aura into her body. There were blisters starting to form on his fingers, his whole body rejecting the pain, as he forced his aura into her with heavy breaths, her body shuddering. The golden glow around her body turned an icy blue.

"Live." He growled at her, and he could feel something… just something inside her, a single _'ba-bump'_ sound coming from her. _" swear, before this council, to respect and abide by my husband, as dictated by law and love."_

" _Do as you must, Jacques. This… You could have ASKED. I would have HELPED you. Is it all about LIEN?"_ The flow of his Aura continued. His body felt haggard, even as he saw… things. Flashes. Images. A young pale-haired woman sitting on the knee of an older man, his scarred palms reminding him of his father, a brief flash of something of concern, as he held up a letter. " _T_ _his is Jacques Gele. He has asked to meet with you, Willow."_

The image changed to a young woman, currently observing her daughter going through her dancing paces, a young child at her side, holding Willow's hand, smiling up at her. " _Will I grow up to be just as good as Winter, Mama?"_ He knew what she would answer. " _Of course. Mama loves you two very much… And soon, when little Whitley is born, he will need the two of you to care for him too."_

More of his Aura was pumped into her, colour returning to her face, as he felt the heartbeat grow stronger, her whole body spluttering back into action once more. He could feel her body's battered state, the moment where she had slipped away, forcing more of himself into that place to keep her together. " _We are DONE, Jacques. I won't STAND to see people CUT UP my family and KILL people thanks to YOUR labour practices."_

She had a broken jaw and a set of fractured ribs after that encounter. Her husband was not a physical man, yet he had been stronger than she had been, able to hurt her severely. It had been kept a secret from Weiss, yet Winter knew. Her daughter knew and had taken the first chance to get out of the household. The bottle was solace, even as her daughters grew colder towards her. " _I am going to visit Mistral. See how the facilities are there, broker a few deals."_

Her husband had been cold, he knew from the shards. A man who cared more for image than for his wife. " _Sienna Khan… A pleasure to meet you, I would say."_ There was a sharp sneer in that voice, even as the strong Faunus woman opposite of her looked back at her with a challenge in those eyes, even as the proposal was nixed before it was even uttered. She had sharpened the deal a little, giving more leeway, to see what the woman would do… And the woman had stood to her principles and passed the test, admirably.

He could feel how drained he felt, even as she was gasping now, her breathing hushed. " _Jaune Arc? Oh… He'll be a fun toy."_ Her feelings were no longer the same, even as she grabbed a hold of his arm. Something PUSHED against him, as he fed his Aura into her, his own heart stopping for an instant before the Aura slowly recovered.

"Jaune… I…" Her voice. Normal. Steady. There.

He could only cry as he beheld her emotion-wracked face before her head turned away and blackish bile flooded from her lips, hitting the mattress beside her, even as the connection between the two petered out.

* * *

Her body was lighter than it had been before the pull came. She had been about to wade into the darkness to find what challenge laid within, only to find herself pulled back by a guiding light… a protector of sorts. It was the challenge that laid within it, the hope that it carried for her to be restored. _"You're the youngest, Jaune… You've got to be the dress-up doll."_

" _He'd never understand what Cammy went through… The shame isn't… it isn't something we should speak of. He is too young to know…"_ The voices of his oldest sisters and mother was something that she recognized, despite never having met several of them.

 _'Jaune… I love you.'_

The hospital visit, the sad smile even as the young woman looked at him, speaking words that were more amongst the tune of 'I am going to be okay' than to address the issue. _"The way to be a man is to be there for the woman you choose, Jaune. If you find a good one… or several, never let them go. Go all-in."_

His father's words, the week before his untimely death. The family was crushed. She could see the life leave the eyes of the women of the family, even as Jaune was forced to be the brute force of the household. The sword and shield upon the mantle glistened, a hundred times polished, a memento of better days.

" _You're such a moron, Jaune… Did you REALLY think that I would ever love someone like you?"_ The hurt in his heart, even as the girl destroyed his social credit, the words cutting deep, no matter what his sisters did to make him cheer up. It was the start of his desire to be a Huntsman, spurred on by the rejection. _"But… I could have loved you."_

" _Nobody will ever love a… goofy dork like you!"_ The insult had cut deeper than he had let show to everyone. Years of self-worth and confidence, destroyed. His soul was bare… and so was hers. She could feel him invade the sanctuary of her mind, of her very being, watching as she was watching him, her whole body burning, even as she felt how everything that had shut down temporarily seemed to flare back to life once more. _'A coma…'_

There was no telling whether she was dead or whether she had merely lapsed into a coma, even as she felt him force himself into her depths, the organs, already damaged by the shutdown, starting to work once more. Strength flooded into her body, even as she took the first breath ever since she had succumbed to the darkness.

It was bliss. _"So… Friends?"_ Yang Xiao-Long did not know how forgiving the young man was. She did not cherish the boy, as he should be cherished. _'If… If…'_ She would cry, if she could. He was too good for his friends.

Her body purged itself of the vile poisons that had poisoned it, the blood inside her veins flowing, as the heartbeat kicked back into gear. _"She's a great woman. A little burdened by her position… Yet someone who is able to make sure that the world works for her."_

The last statement had been spoken with pride, with hope… and it had referred to Sienna… and her. It could have referred to either of them, yet the young man's feelings had not differentiated… They had not even shifted one little hint to the left or the right, telling her whether there was a moment for her or a moment for Sienna… and the desire to make work of the young man sprung forth once more, even as he fed her his aura like it was the fuel to make her heart work.

Her eyes grew misty and cloudy with tears, as she gasped. Something inside her pushed him away, as he touched her, and she felt… them. The glyphs. The glyphs of her father's legacy.

"Jaune… I…" She wanted to say 'I love you' yet a wave of nausea and sickness came over her, as her head turned and vile-tasting spew came from her mouth, a low gurgling sound coming from her stomach, even as she felt his arms wrap around him.

"Easy… You're back." His voice sounded disturbed… and it rightfully WAS so. She had been dead… sort of. She had been in that state of limbo, where she could see her own body, could feel his touch not… and now it was better.

He lifted her up in his strong arms, carrying her towards the bathroom, the horrible smell hitting her nostrils, as she watched with trepidation as he set her down, another wave of vileness coming up, and hitting the toilet bowl, her throat emptying the vile juices like it should. "Easy…"

"Is everything okay?" The bodyguard asked, her ears twitching, even as she vomited. _'Now…'_ Something flashed in her mind, a very stark realization that made her freeze up.

"She's just had something bad." ' _He protects me… He would get questioned either way.'_ She heard him say, even as she threw up. "Could you get her some water? I don't think she can be alone for now." His voice was oddly light, his control shot over his emotions, even as she realized that she had scared him…

"Olav." Her voice was steadier, even as she straightened, managing to keep the bile inside, for now. "The new guy, Vitiligo." Her bodyguard made a sound in the back of his throat. "He was assigned from the main branch to my squad, right?" Another confirmation, even as her mind whirred to conclusions, forming them from the faintest of memories. _'It would be so easy… Why…'_

"Your water, ma'am." The man said, and she downed it, the acidic bile in her throat working once more to calm her stomach, even though she raged internally.

"Keep an eye on him, Olav." Her voice was steadier than she should have. _'Jacques… To see that you'd go so low…'_

There was going to be blood spilled after this. It would have been normal for a woman to succumb after a drunken bender, especially someone who drank as much as she did, who lived life to forget… But adding painkillers into the mix? Adding them to a generous helping of alcohol, in order to knock her out and then make her death an accident, leaving her husband to inherit her shares…

' _You conniving little RAT!'_

"Olav. Mantle protocol." The words 'Mantle Protocol' she hadn't used since she had first hired the man, her eyes looking right into Jaune's eyes. "This young man saved my life. Treat him with the same respect as you would do to my daughters and son."

"As you wish… Willow."The man said, Jaune's face horribly confused. _'He doesn't know… Just as well.'_

"Just a few guidelines that my father instructed I leave with the guard staff. It happens when I have a little accident." Her smile was wavering, yet his disturbed eyes never left hers. Blue met blue, and he felt her skin, his touch warm.

"Are you… okay?" She asked, feeling that he was disturbed. She felt on top of the world, even as she looked him into the eyes, his eyes widening, as he realized something.

"Can you…" He didn't finish the sentence. He felt different… trusted. He had…

He had brought her back from the darkness. He had been the light that guided him, the brush that was filled with hope, with dreams… With the spirit of joy. She smiled. "Of course." Her arms wrapped around him, even as Olav the bodyguard came back, carrying several things.

"Let's go to bed." She suggested, before she hesitated. The low rumble of her stomach made a wave of vileness emerge again, even as… even as the euphoria faded at being alive. _'Weiss… Oh gods, Weiss…'_

"You need to relax. Do you… Do you want me to call Sienna?" He asked. She knew that Sienna would just beat her way through whatever obstacle in order to comfort her, through whatever point in time that she got the call… but he sounded fragile. Tender. Just like how she felt.

"No." Her voice was a little lighter, even as he lifted her into his arms again, carrying her body towards the living room, settling down with her on his lap. It felt… normal. It felt… like she was young again. "Can I… Jaune."

He looked at her, his lower lip trembling. She remembered that moment… that moment when her Semblance had activated, when the Glyphs came. The moment when they had meshed their Aura together in a tighter way than she had ever thought possible with another human being, his aura wrapping around that little flame of life that grew within her heart, to waken it from the darkness… and had blazed it into a burning flame, growing ever stronger within her.

"Please." Her voice sounded so weak, as her lips pressed against his own. She could hear Olav make a sound, yet she ignored it. _She_ was the boss, _NOT_ her husband. "Hold me. You…"

"You brought me back." The words were small, tiny… a child speaking to an elder, yet she felt young in comparison to him. His eyes looked back at her, tears forming in them already. She could feel the horrible twist coming in her gut, even as pain flared once more.

"You…" She didn't dare to voice it.

"Olav… Could you… Could you please throw away all the liquor in the apartment? I have decided… I have decided that I am going to detox." She looked at Jaune, before she glanced at Olav, the man nodding once. He had gotten the message, walking into the bedroom, giving them privacy.

"You… You saved my life." Her voice was a soft whisper, as she began to nuzzle against him, her body pressed against his own. Naked, she realized, yet she was quite beyond caring now. "Thank you so much for that."

"What… What made you drink so much?" He asked… and her mood plummeted. _'Weiss doesn't want to have anything to do with me.'_

The hope inside her plummeted, as she felt the heavy feeling of despair well up to fill that joyous euphoria. "Weiss… Weiss asked me a question and…"

"And she didn't want any contact with me. Not even a good night kiss… It's been so long since…" Her voice was soft, sad. Her lip trembled and the tears leaked from her eyes once more. His hand brushed over her cheek, wiping the tears away.

"Just… Relax. I'll be here for as long as you need me to be." He said, and she felt comfortable.

She was safe now.

* * *

He looked at the woman who had been so important to him for such a while, her face saddened, even as she nuzzled against him, her face showing little change from the regular state of being, save for the burden that had been lifted from her shoulders… a burden that he had forced upon her by pumping her full of his aura.

Relief had flooded him, hope for her to survive… yet he also remembered the stories of the past, the legends about the one who held two souls, pushed together through the death of one body, a wizard of sorts… and more. He remembered that life and death are not things that you should toy with, as divine retribution always came to those naughty people…

And yet, she slumbered in his arms, giving him the feeling that she was content and happy. The faint echoes of her mind against his own, that intimate connection that seemed to burn like a candle in the frailest of gusts of wind… and yet was intricately bound to her.

He could remember shards of her life, as she could undoubtedly remember shards of his own. If he wished to… he could capitalize on those, make her his, completely.

She would be like clay in his hands, playing upon the already existing like and love… He could be the lover of one of the wealthiest women in the world… Yet he knew that it was not to be. Such a proud, wonderful woman, brought low by her own hands…

He recognized that feeling. He could empathize with her, hoped that things would be alright… that they would be better.

There was a different feeling there, as he saw her for what she was… A beautiful woman. A great entrepreneur, whose fingers manipulated the strings of fate. He had been a mere toy… a happenstance that had gone right. A pleasure, a thrill… and yet…

' _She loves me, as a woman loves a man… Yet I do not feel the same. Not… not yet.'_ It was a humbling experience, feeling how she had reacted. The moment when her breath had come again, the brief instant where he had been gazing into those eyes and her skin was once more flush with health and vitality… That had been a moment when there had been a spark.

A moment where he thought… 'This woman is one that I can share my life with'. It was squashed, as he knew her situation. A husband was still a husband.

"I love you." He whispered into her ear.

It all… It all made sense. Weiss, in her own selfish way, had spurned her mother's love, had decided to be little miss Prissy once more, even though her mother tried to make amends… tried to make sure that the hurt was gone within her daughter… and Weiss had SPAT in her mother's face.

' _Just… Just a cold-hearted girl…_ ' She must have changed during the time that her mother had not seen her, she must have changed from the lovely girl that had been singing to her heart's content, who had been happy enough to bring forth a wonderful song for her mother on her birthday…

' _Sienna…'_ He wasn't sure about the woman, not anymore. Sharing such intimacy with Willow… He wasn't sure if he could… be the right person for Sienna to be engaged with. _'What if she thinks I am boring?'_

There was a faint hope, even as he picked up the Scroll, Sienna answering after a moment with a groggy 'What? It's five in the freaking morning and I had need for sleep for a while longer.' _,_ her voice turning somewhat more civilized when he coughed.

"Sienna… Do you think you could take Willow somewhere nice, where she won't be disturbed?" He looked down at the sleeping woman, cuddled up against him like a girl would to a lover.

"There's been… an incident."

He gently roused her from her slumber after he finished the call with Sienna, a soft smile on his lips, met by her own. "Sienna's going to take you out for a day of rest, Willow."

Her eyes were unguarded, trusting… lovely. It took his willpower not to kiss her, even after she had kissed him. _'I could… But what sort of a man would that make me?'_

"Thank you for doing this." She said, swallowing deeply. "You've got to get back to Beacon, right?" He nodded. "They've got classes in the morning… and eh…" He looked down, his shirt messy and stained with her vomit. "A change of clothing is mandatory."

A saucy smile came to her lip. "A shower could be had? I'll clean you… very well." Her lips were pursed, her tongue flickering over their kissable surface. _'Kiss her… kiss her and you will throw away everything to be with her.'_

He didn't know why Sienna's face appeared in his mind's eye, her voice whispering that in his ear, yet he watched her, giving her a gentle kiss on the lips. "I'll shower alone. At Beacon. It is best… it's best that we don't do things… Not… not now." His voice was rough, even as the realization that he was a sinner had set in.

' _I've cursed her with a life beyond her natural one… if this was a natural one.'_ Her face brightened slightly, even as she got off his lap, her fingers suddenly grabbing his groin, giving his manhood a squeeze. "I love you." Dangerous words… Yet her mental state was not stable enough.

"I'm… I'm sorry." He said, and she nodded.

"Not yet." She said, nodding in understanding. "Sienna has first dibs, after all…"

He wondered briefly what she was talking about, yet decided to think differently. Some things were between friends, which men did not need to take any note of. Her eyes blazed with a renewed sense of fight, which was good. "But I'm not out of the game yet."

"I'll see you again soon." He said, and she placed a tender kiss on his lips, her hands on his shoulders. He might have been thinking a little too much on the subject, but she looked somewhat younger. It was as if the heavy burden had fallen off her shoulders, after it had rested there for decades.

Her whole face twitched after she pulled away, a blush on her cheeks, like a shy girl would have. "I am very grateful." She said, even as she exhaled softly. "Have a great day, Jaune.

It was the regular kind of thing for her, to do as she so desired… Yet it was with a heavy tread that he left, his shirt stained by black bile.

It was time to go back to Beacon.

* * *

Sienna groaned as she heard the incessant ringtone of her Scroll, checking the time on the display on the wall before grabbing it and opening the Scroll up, growling at the infidel at the other end, sobering up quickly as she heard that something had happened to Willow.

The pleasant dream about herself, Jaune and an abandoned island where they could have plenty hot wild sex shattered from her mind as his tone sounded… weird. Broken. Changed and twisted… yet not fully without hope.

"I'll take her to places." She said, her voice steadier than she thought. Scenario's flashed through her mind, her own situation being brought into this, her face showing a great scowl as she dressed herself, tucking her breasts into her bra as she realized that this was going to be another public relations nightmare… But they could spin this in a certain fashion.

' _Undoubtedly it's the work of that Fall woman… Assassinate me, have the Schnee Dust Company take a hit in the Faunus' esteem, switch to the other target if number one is not an issue anymore… Fuck, I hate politics.'_ She snapped her fingers at her bodyguards. "You two, drive. We're seeing Schnee. Bad shit happened, and I want to hash out that deal before she kicks the bucket."

For all she knew, Willow did nearly kick the bucket. _'Better bring her a bottle of the good stuff…'_ Shared drinking was best drinking, after all.

She knew that she was going to get drunk either way, as her system still craved that pleasant burn, her whole body sizzling with the anticipation that built inside her.

Exiting the car and then realizing that she probably would have to go and get Jaune to get access to the Schnee woman's room, she pulled out her Scroll, only to see the young man standing there in front of the hotel, looking up at the morning sky, his shirt stained and messy, face oppressed. _'Fuck, he looks like he's been crying…'_

Those blue eyes just weren't the right shade of blue anymore, their luster gone mostly, as the young man moved robotically. _'Fuck me… That looks like PTSD if I ever saw it.'_ She had only done the psychology course in preparation of her political career, but it showed in his motions. _'Time to give him a shock to the system.'_

"Arc." She barked, drawing him out of his thoughts. "What's the issue?" The tone was direct and to the point, aggressive for most people, yet he took it in stride.

"She's up in room three-fourty-one. She's expecting you." He looked at her, the bottle in her hand noticed as well. "I'd leave that, if I was you…"

That could mean a few things… yet it was clear that the Schnee had been in trouble. "I'll put it away." She said. It would come in handy later on for her own personal use.

She didn't wait for the bodyguards to catch up, one of them putting the bottle back into the car whilst the other gave her adequate cover, her steps firm, even as she walked right up to the elevator. "Seventh floor." She growled, the human looking like he was about to wet his pants.

"Y-yes!"

She snarled audibly, her voice sounding tense, even as she pulled her Scroll out and then decided to cancel all of her appointments for the morning, with the afternoon appointments put on hold, enough of the leeway to make sure that she wouldn't be getting any issues with the whole scheduling crew, but showing clearly that this was something of an emergency. _'Whatever happened to Willow…'_

She knocked on the door twice, the face of a man peering from the door as it was opened on a crack. "What's your purpose for visiting, Miss?"

"Seeing a person of interest, and I will fucking use your guts for a hula-hoop if you don't let me in and speak with your boss." She was not going to be deterred, kicking the door open without further ado, her fist slamming right into the bodyguard's face, not even giving the man time to think.

The weapon that was leveled at her was a simple gun, yet she was not challenging the bear of a man, who nodded. "Lady Schnee is inside the living room." The man said, stepping aside. "I told you, she was allowed. Miss Schnee has given permission for her to enter. Negotiations with Khan take precedence over the personal stuff."

She spotted Willow on the couch, forlorn look on her face, her nose crinkling lightly as she smelled the horrible scent of puke and something chemical and putrid. _'Whatever happened here… must've been severe.'_

"Sienna." She heard the human say, even as the bodyguard who looked like he had bear Faunus ancestors, stepped in. "You may pull the car up. We are going someplace after I have had a shower." She looked at Sienna with a look, even as the bodyguard nodded.

"We'll follow you." Willow said, even as she shed her clothing. Sienna was not a shy woman, yet she noticed that the skin seemed a little paler than before.

"What… happened?" The voice was smaller than she intended, as her friend looked at her, a sad smile on her face.

"I died, Sienna. Jaune… Jaune pulled me back. Back to my body." The admission both struck fear inside Sienna's heart as well as respect. _'That's… that's…'_

The words 'That is so Jaune' couldn't even surface, as she started to tear up, wrapping her arms around her friend's waist, heedless of the acrid smell or how it looked. Right now, there was no Sienna Khan, High Leader of the White Fang or a Willow Schnee, Wife of the Faunus Devil. There were just two women, one comforting the other.

"I'm okay again… But he isn't." She heard Willow whisper in her Faunus ears, the shudder that went through Sienna's body enough to warn her friend.

"Why did you let him go?" Sienna asked, nearly hissing at the woman, her eyes needy, as she realized that Jaune was in a bad way.

"Because… Because he needs it. A reasonable adult can… He can figure things out. Make them right… even if things aren't right at the beginning." This was getting awfully sappy, yet Sienna sighed.

"We're going for something. Come on, whitey, in the shower. You reek like a urinal! We're getting something to eat to get you thinking better." She wasn't having deep discussions whilst she was getting herself into the mood of caretaker, her thoughts on the young blonde man banished for a moment, as she realized that she was now getting herself within the sphere of influence of the Schnee.

She looked Willow over, noticing the look in those eyes. "We're also getting you to my private physician." The woman had to be checked over as soon as possible, even though she showed no obvious signs of what it would be like…

For food, though…

McSchnee's was open every hour of the day, to her knowledge. It was a faint hope, yet…

' **GET YOUR SKANKY ASS OVER TO MCSCHNEE'S, HAMBURGER PUSSY. WE ARE BUYING YOU FOOD!'**

Her typing wasn't the most elegant that you'd see on the messages, yet she had sent the message either way. The response had been a quick – **'Getting the files. Bring the cutie too.'**

' **Jaune, get over to the McSchnee's. The one we met each other.'** The gentle message was enough, and she knew that he should not have departed from Vale just yet. It was a ten minute trip from the Airship docks by car to the McSchnee, so it would be just in time. He couldn't have walked that quickly… And she'd ring his sexy human ass up like a five Lien chip if he didn't respond.

Willow's hair was done up in a single ponytail, her jogging pants and the loose blouse that she wore enough to make the world look sane and her insane… yet the woman did not care one whit for the image that she upheld most of the day, nearly fifty minutes and a very swift shower later.

Sienna took the liberty of ordering some of the best greasy burgers for her friend, knowing that it would be a while before the woman would be getting herself calmed down, the hour so early in the morning that they basically had the place to themselves. They had garnered an odd look, two of the Faunus bodyguards and two of the human bodyguards behind them ordering something as well, acting as company should, yet still with an edge… Yet it was enough.

"What happened?" She asked finally, Willow taking a deep bite out of her burger, red ketchup dripping onto the cardboard, her eyes sharply observing her.

"My husband tried to get rid of me." Willow said in a softer tone, audible to her ears. The answer was as expected. Jacques Schnee, being married into the family, could not access the shares that Willow held. Her death would springboard the man into absolute power over the Schnee Dust Company.

"Hey Sie-annd who may these two handsome gentlemen be?" Eve's chipper tone was at odds with the outfit that she wore, a set of casual slacks worn to conceal the outfit below, a sweater that was zipped up, for the most part, in order to hide the skintight outfit below, her tongue sliding over her red lips.

"My… bringing me hamburger meat AND sausages." She was enough, Sienna figured, to delay things a little.

"Eve, meet Will. Will, meet Eve. She's the sister of the redheaded bull faunus with terminal edgelord syndrome." Eve was classy enough to do a little nod of the head.

"Ever fancied starring in porn, Will? I bet there's a lot of guys who'd want to bury their sausage in your Atlesian mash. Darn, you look fiiiiine as hell." Sienna could see Willow's smile stiffen slightly, even as those blue eyes turned even darker in their gaze.

"Whilst I'm sure that it will look absolutely riveting…" Sienna said, her sarcasm-laden voice distracting the bovine Faunus. "Did you get the data?" The Faunus nodded, sliding a single USB stick over to her.

"Uploaded to the server already when I had a moment to link with the web when at a Sundollars. It's there…" A grin on her lips again. "And I just saw the jackpot walk in…" Eve licked her lips, even as Jaune came sauntering in, looking weary and tired, slightly dazed.

"Hey there, cutie… Long night out on the town?" Her perky manner seemed to find little ground with him, as he pushed past her, Eve pouting slightly, as he walked straight over to Sienna.

"What?" Sienna's eyes looked into his eyes. _'You're not getting away that easily… You look three sheets to the wind.'_

"Just…" He sighed, deeply, looking at Willow. _'This isn't good.'_

"Are you okay?"

The worry in his tone was real, even as he looked at her. A look like he had lost his way, like he desperately needed confirmation that she WAS alright, that she WOULD be fine… A loss inside her, as she knew that he was not looking at her in that way and she wanted that.

"Better. I went to this doctor that Sienna recommended. Apparently, I look very healthy for a twenty-nine-year-old." The woman paused, as she looked at him, Sienna seeing that look in those eyes. "Twenty-nine, Jaune. Whatever you did… How you did…"

Her eyes cast down. Her voice sounded hesitant as she spoke. "And… I'm sorry for your loss." The words were strange, even as Jaune himself seemed to shrink in on himself. "I saw things that I probably shouldn't have…"

"I've…" He paused, the words a little hesitant, as a look came on his face that was more resolute.

"I've gotten glimpses. You've had it rough." The woman nodded, as she looked at Sienna. The look was something that Sienna understood to be the look which held 'I am going to do something wild' in their depths.

"No matter what, Jaune… You're going to be a part of the family." The words were something that made Sienna freeze. Part of the Schnee family… meant marriage, at the very least.

"You're still married, though." Sienna's heart stopped for a moment, looking at his face whilst he said that, Willow not stopping.

"Woah, a fine girl like you is married? Shiiiiit. Better not let the husband find out." Eve added her two cents to it.

"He fuck good, or is there a good reason for the...?" She made a gesture that Sienna recognized as impotence in ASL, Willow giving a snort.

"More like he's an abusive prick." Jaune mumbled, a dark look on his face. It seemed that whatever had happened, his mood had soured to the thought of the man, Sienna just burning to know what had happened… even if her own chances had been dashed. "Seriously…"

"Wait, you're letting your man hit you? Aren't you just kicking him in the face with that fine pair of legs you got?" Eve added, the humans giving her a shared look. "What? I work in the business, I know a damn fine pair of legs even if they're covered up in baggy pants."

"… What?" Jaune said, Eve about to explain, yet Sienna cut her off.

"Movie star. She's empty-headed, don't mind her. Think of her as Adam with less sense and a good head for personal aesthetics. All the intellect went into her tits." There was a pause. "Oh, and she's total trash at acting." The grump from Eve was worth it, even as he gave her a clueless look.

"I make ONE little mess with that creampie and you just KEEP on acting like it was a crime." Sienna's annoyance level rose. Her eyes blazed. Waking up to find some cum-dripping pussy leaking above her face as Eve tried to do it hush-hush was NOT one of the fondest memories that she had.

"My. Bed. My. Sleep. Do NOT fuck around with MY sleep. ESPECIALLY when in a moving vehicle." The event had been mostly hush-hush, as Sienna had been embarrassed and caught off guard by the sudden events, Jaune looking like he didn't quite get what was being told about.

"I mean… I'd probably make a horrible mess if I had a cream pie in my bed." Willow started to giggle, even as Eve snorted, a brusque sound. "What? It'd be all sticky and messy and make the sheets need a good wash!"

The moment of misunderstanding was enough to clear the air. Sienna could feel like things were somewhat back to normal, even as she pointed to the register. "Get yourself some food. We're celebrating… eh…"

She wasn't used to this kind of thing. "Yeah, Willow's new look." Eve choked on the burger that she was just biting into, her eyes looking at Willow as the last peg slid into the hole and she just realized that she was eating burgers with _the_ Willow Schnee.

Sienna let her gaze linger a little on that cute butt as he walked off to order at the counter, still looking like he'd messed around with a blender, awkwardly pulling a Lien card out of his pocket. _'I should get him some pocket money… The financial statements for his family don't look too promising...'_ She did her research, as per standard operating procedure. You never went into contact with unknown quantities and factors.

"So… Eh, about that offer…" Eve said, her cheeks actually turning slightly redder. "I mean, it wasn't serious, I mean… You're…"

"Perfectly capable of making adult decisions without my husband's approval." Willow said, to Siena's surprise, Eve's eyebrows raising, as Willow's gaze went right to the blonde member of their little group.

"I want him. With him or nothing." To say it so nakedly and honestly was an open challenge to her, as Eve's eyebrows rose sharply, a look of surprise on her face. "Only him. Work it, titty cow." The crass language made Sienna snort. ' _Starting to act like me...'_

"Yeah, titty cow. Work it like you do your customers." Eve's eyes blazed, a low growl coming from her throat.

"Hey! I got PRIDE in my body. Ain't nothing unnatural about me." The cruder lingo that Eve usually slipped in when she was feeling heated emotions was something of a twitch that had slipped in sometime, Eve's gaze going to the woman. "I still got a date with blonde and heroic planned. Sienna sold him like an easy street hooker. Guess a hooker is better than a little prude and a fancy milf with a facelift, eh?"

Sienna did not refute it, even though the comment about being a prude stung a little. "We all have to make sacrifices. You promised to stick to the safe parts." Eve nodded.

"That doesn't mean I'm against it… But the kid's shouldering stuff. I see a mini-Adam in him." Willow nodded, as if she understood.

"His…" Sienna knew that Willow was going to say something, even as Jaune waited for his order, his face looking bedraggled, as he waited. "His family life isn't the best. His older sisters are pretty okay but…"She looked a little nervously.

"The middle one, Camellia… Yeah. He didn't know what it meant but…" She looked a little out of it, as if recalling something. "I know a bloodwork chart when I see it. F positive." Sienna could understand what she was hinting at.

"Fuck." Sienna mumbled, her eyes conflicted. _'Do I… do I tell him? Fuck. The oldest and the second oldest and her wife didn't seem to mind… But that probably was due to me not being recognized as a potential girlfriend.'_

"I'm… I'm also going to have words with my daughters. With BOTH of them." Willow's gaze rose to the heavens, where the Atlesian battleships sat, positioned above the Kingdom. "I'm…"

"I'm going to do something right for the world." The words were so simple, as she extended a hand towards Sienna.

The Bengal tiger Faunus looked at it, before she grabbed it.

"Do you want to make this a formal alliance?" The question was asked.

Sienna smirked, the challenging smirk that she reserved for political equals on her lips.

"The White Fang and the SDC, working together? Hell yeah, you're on."

A shake of two hands, one belonging to a Faunus whose political goals were oft-thought of as misguided and another belonging to a woman who had been dealt a bad hand by life and had fought to change, had fought to work THROUGH the issues.

History, as it was often purported to be, had changed. In a McSchnee, an alliance was forged between two friends, aligning their radically different species and ideals together in order to ensure their personal agenda's to become truth.

Had Jaune not saved Willow through his Aura Enhancement, she would have never awoken from her coma. She would have perished, as her life faded to a mere extinguished candle, left to burn only in the memory of her daughters.

A rival for the affections of a young man, a political peer, an equal and a friend.

Sienna Khan welcomed it genuinely. Her smile was now not the picture-perfect smile that she wore when dealing with the media, but something genuine.

Observing it all were some drowsy-looking members of staff, the bodyguards, currently entertaining themselves with a conversation about different types of armaments, their eyes scanning for danger constantly, whilst Eve Taurus remained there as a witness, a testament to the two making their alliance.

"Can I sit down?" Jaune's voice cut through that moment and Sienna grinned, as Willow grinned, Sienna changing a seat to the right, leaving Eve to shift as well.

"Sit, human." She said, though her voice carried little ire within its depths. "Eat your last meal before you're going back to Beacon."

He smiled at her, his eyes warm and friendly once more, still containing a faint hint of something inside their depths that was conflicted… but she would figure it out herself.

"I didn't know how hungry I was until I sat down… Gee, they make fine burgers." He commented, Eve looking at him for the longest of moments before she sighed and shook her head, not making a comment.

"Hey… Jaune?" She tried, as she felt confidence grow inside her. _'TELL HIM HOW YOU FEEL, SIENNA.'_

"That dinner with Kali… beforehand, I've… sort of eh…" She flushed slightly, like a girl about to tell the boy that she liked that she'd hitched him up with a date. "I needed something. Something that Eve could get me, so I…"

She wanted to say something else, she wanted to tell him, to confide in him, to make him understand just how confused he made her… but the words were just the factual truth. _'You can't tell him straight, Sienna… You're a loser. A coward. Someone who isn't fit to lead the White Fang.'_

"I promised her a date with you." He looked at her, before he smiled. That same understanding smile that she'd seen before, when he had been with her for the first time in this very same McSchnee's.

"Oh, is the information useful?" The question was honest, even as she floundered for an instant. _'This is not you. You can fob him with an excuse.'_

"The person who likely put out the hit on me." A look on his face, one of anger and frustration. A man's look. Blue eyes changing from understanding to merciless cold blue depths. She felt her nethers clench as her eyes lost focus for a moment, seeing those eyes flash as they looked at her.

"Fuck meee… He's not supposed to do that, Sienna." Eve murmured into her ear, loud enough for her to hear, the woman's heavy breathing enough to show that Eve found that _'thing'_ as well within him. "He's not supposed to… fuck me. I'm going to get my hands on him even if I have to eat his ass to get a shot."

"Good." His lips pressed together, a thin line formed.

"Make them hurt." A dark tone of his voice, one that sounded similar to Willow's when he did… "I don't want… No, I won't EVER want any of my friends hurt. You are my friend, Sienna… So are you, Willow. An Arc does not let his friends be hurt."

' _Fuck me. Fuck meeee. He just HAD to say that. Had to play the hero…'_ Eve's hand was gripping her shoulder now, and she could smell the other Faunus' scent intensify. Something deep inside their primal natures, the desire for a mate was still something hard-coded in their being. Something that…

' _Fuck… it's a minor miracle that he doesn't show this side too often to others. He'd be drowning in pussy if he didn't.'_ Power and protectiveness attracted people. Caring and gentleness, with the power to back a threat up and the near-obsessive desire to keep people that were cared for safe…

She knew what she liked in a man. A strong build, the ability to accept her commands for what they were. To bow down to her… And yet.. And yet she could not shake the image of his arms around her, his lips against her neck, biting down on it and then telling her to-

She shook herself out of her dazed state, her head shaking a few times to clear the thoughts that were going out into the weird directions. "I've got to verify it first… But when we nab the bastard, you'll be the first to know."

The look on his face pulled at her. It was enough of a change from that goofy, silly young man's face… a man's face. One who would be able to do as he needed to. "I will bring you to the airship docks."

She could, at the very least, offer him a ride. She was not that cruel as to let him walk back. "Thank you." He said honestly, even as he glanced at Eve. He looked at her with a look of concern.

"Are you… alright?"

"I've got to talk to Adam." Sienna heard Eve say in a low tone, even as she shook her head.

"No… You're his friend, right?" She said, her voice slightly dazed. _'This isn't good…'_

"Yeah, I think he lives with his girlfriend now." Eve nodded, in a creepy fashion. It made Sienna wonder briefly whether she had much in the way of sanity left, as Eve licked her lips.

"May I have the address? I need to have words with my brother." Sienna could already imagine how that would go, her whole mind starting to already conclude that it wasn't going to be a conversation that Adam would be glad to have. He never liked it when Eve came around.

As Jaune gave her the address, Willow went for his attention again. "When you… when you've sorted things out, mentally… Give me a call? Everything is a mess right now… And I don't know why but… Did they really have to use blueberries?" A snort came from him.

"They did. Best dye they said… But it was a mess." Willow nodded at that.

"Yeah… I'm sorry, for what it's worth." Sienna saw one of those smiles appear on his face once more.

"I am happy that I caught you when I thought you'd fallen into that deep dark abyss." _'It should be illegal to look that ravishing.'_ She could smell her own scent mingle with that of Eve, the redhead looking like she wanted to say something, keeping her peace for the time being… even with her eyes glinting faintly in that manner that showed clearly that there were things that she would like to say.

"No… You're not. You're scared. But you don't have to be." The look on her face was gentle, Sienna noticed, as she laid her hands on his shoulders.

"We're going to work together." She sent a look at Sienna.

"We're going to make this world a better place."

Sienna hoped that those words would be the truth.

* * *

He stumbled out of the bullhead that had ferried him back to Beacon, the only passenger that had boarded it. He hadn't shown it to the women, in all their glory and splendor, yet he felt like shit. He felt like he had just done the impossible, even as his Aura seemed to be slowly refilling itself from the exhaustion that he had felt.

He had profaned Willow's body. He had forced himself on her… had forced his hands to pump her full of his energy and to make her live once more. Desperation and fear mingled together with the friendship that he felt… the kinship, that only got there through the woman baring her very core, her soul… and he had wrapped his soul around hers and forced her back into this world once more.

He could remember the chemical formula for the different Dust types. Standard Schnee Dust Company knowledge of the higher levels. Every member of the board at least had a degree in Dust Science and Economics, and Willow was no exception. He could remember her favourite foods, the shards of memory not concise, yet he knew… he knew that he could make her his with a few words.

' _I want someone to love me for myself… Not because… Not because of some trick. Not because they feel grateful.'_

He heard a cough, spotting the Headmaster standing only a few meters away, the man dressed impeccably, even as the man's brown eyes met his own, the green glasses that he wore barely enough to hide them.

"Back late, Mister Arc? I trust your sojourn into Vale has been… successful?" The man's voice sounded moderate, yet he detected a faint undercurrent of distaste.

' _I reek of alcohol and vomit…'_ He wasn't sure how high the alcohol contents of the bile had been, yet it had stank and he hadn't changed clothes yet. _'I must look like a bum…'_

"Sir…" He yearned to… he yearned to share it with someone, someone who could understand. He looked at the man, his eyes imploring. Dark brown eyes seemed to widen, even as the man slowly exhaled.

"Have you ever… Have you ever seen someone die that you were close to? Like… A friend."

"Too many times, Mister Arc." The man said, his voice sober. There was nothing about the strict Headmaster who witnessed a student come back from a bender in the city about the man now, as he seemed to watch the morning sun rise from behind the horizon's barrier.

"I just… I just found her there." He felt like he was babbling. He probably was. He looked foolish in the older man's eyes, no doubt.

"Lifeless. Like a doll. So cold…" The words were hard to say, yet he felt… he felt that he should tell them to someone. Not to his team… they were too young, they would not understand. "Laying there like she had just gone to bed, only a phone call to me… Wanting to see me. I felt so afraid, sir."

The man motioned for him to follow towards one of the many benches, even as he motioned for him to sit down. The wood that made up the bench was hard, his seating not as comfortable as it felt. "I just… I just tried, sir. I wanted to make her breathe again, to tell me… to tell me what happened. To understand… I didn't want to lose her."

"Loss is a fact of life, Mister Arc. We all deal with things in a different fashion." The man's words were sensible, yet he did not know… he didn't know how to.

"Have you… have you ever seen the body of someone that you love…. And you want them to come back?" The man's brown eyes were haunted, he could say that much, even though the man remained silent. "To give up everything for them, just to see their smile again?"

"I… I believe I know what you are talking of."The man sounded so old, so weak… so weary of things, that Jaune wondered how the man knew, even as his hands rested on his cane. "The first time that I… had a life-changing experience, I went and met with someone who was once… close to me."

"It did not go well." The man's eyes were colder now, as he looked up to the skies. "We did not part amicably. She had done it for me, she said… and I, a fool, believed her. She was… no, she IS a selfish creature."

' _That sounds bad, no matter how you hear it.'_ "I've… I've done something impermissible to her." The man sighed, his gaze risen from the cane, fixing him with a look. "Something that should have went against all the taboos."

"Does it violate the Valean laws?" The man asked, always as responsible as it was. _'How do you call resurrecting the dead? It violates the laws of life...'_

"No…" He said, even as he felt the dark feelings inside him well up. _'I violated the natural order… I should just…'_ "I… I brought her back."

"I didn't want to accept her death, so I… I awakened her Aura. I just kept on feeding mine into her, just as Pyrrha had done to me… for me." He was talking now, taking his time as the Headmaster listened, his face showing rapt attention.

"I didn't want to let her go. She showed an interest… So… I brought her back. I'm so afraid, sir… I'm so afraid of losing people." The fear in his eyes was quelled, as the man's hand rested on his shoulder.

"You brought her back… and then what?" The man's voice was sharp, imploring him to speak with urgency, the man's brown eyes looking into his own.

"My… My aura was dry, she was sobbing and crying… I could feel her love for her children, I remember things that I shouldn't have… Like the stories about the man who shared his soul with another…" He felt emboldened, as the man's eyes took on a quality that was rare to see. He… he thought he could trust the man.

"And then, she was there again. Whole. Puking a lot, but she was… she was back again." He didn't know how to feel like it.

"And your Semblance is…" The man asked, as Jaune wondered about that.

"I don't know. I just did what Pyrrha did for me." The man's mouth opened slightly, and he reached out.

"This may hurt a little…" A sting-like feeling rushed through his nerves, even as the man looked at him, an even weirder expression coming to his face. "Enhancement… Aura enhancement? And…"

Jaune held up a hand. He mustered his Aura to manifest, the dregs forming, his will focusing it into his palm…

A brilliant white Glyph manifested above his palm.

* * *

 **The pairing I meant when I said that one was torpedoed to the sea floor was Jaune X Weiss.**

 **I'm moving the categories to Hurt &Comfort and Romance now! As well as adding an OC tag to mark Willow, until we get to see Miss Schnee in any sort of capacity in-universe!**

 **REJOICE! WILLOW LIVES! The story isn't ruined.**

 **More of the funny stuff in the next few chapters… Oh, some people noticed that I didn't exactly confirm that Willow was dead. Alcohol poisoning can lead to a coma. The appearance of death is something that can result from that. Good job on noticing that.**

 **It can't always be sunshine and rainbows… And there is more stuff hinted for the story. I'm PROBABLY going to stop it at 40 chapters. Originally, it was just eighteen, with no Willow Schnee involvement. Sienna Khan though… yeah, she's one of the main vessels that carry the story onward. Her perspectives, Jaune's perspectives and Willow's perspectives, outline the differences.**

 **Willow knows stuff now about Jaune now that nobody else knows except the family. Sienna is not acting on her desires yet… and Eve has taken a serious interest.**

 **Gonna be an interesting next chapter, that's for sure. Which will come along next week, as promised! Consider this an Easter surprise!**

 **Leave a review! Let's go for 1000 follows and 1000 favourites!**


	24. Arabesque

**Chapter 24: Arabesque**

 **There was much positive response to Willow surviving. The OC part of the pairing is for Willow, as she doesn't have an entry yet in the official pairing list... so it is OC until she appears in-canon. Yep. That's a thing.**

* * *

He opened the door to the dorm room, watching Pyrrha in the motion of stretching, yet he didn't feel like appreciating the sight of his pretty redheaded partner in motion, her brown pyjamas visibly outlining her curves. He could feel sickness welling up inside him, even as he threw the dirtied shirt onto his bed, his mind absently registering that Pyrrha had frozen mid-motion, even as the pants went and joined the shirt. "Shower..." He mumbled, even as he stumbled towards the built-in bathroom, the underwear plucked from the wardrobe, Pyrrha making a strangled sound as he bent over.

If he had been less distracted by the memories that bounced around, he might have remembered the rules that they'd set up about showering in the room, where there was at least some form of modesty allowed.

As he stepped under the hot spray, he felt the water wash away the vileness, the memories still bouncing through his mind.

 _'Glyphs...'_

He could feel them, even if he did not fully control them. The knowledge on their use, the ability to call them forth and the thing that was done with the souls of the creatures that were captured by the wielder of the Semblance... The knowledge that came with the use of the Glyphs, handled genetically through a process of instant access...

She knew how to wield them. _He_ knew how to wield them. He knew her spots, where she could go wild with joy and lust, moaning and trembling. Her special little rituals, things that would often go unnoticed by people.

He knew her, as much as she knew him. Her apology...

 _'_ _What use is it?'_

He had held her. He had brought her back. He had... saved her.

The sob came from his throat, as he hit the wall. _'Why did I... why did I do something against nature itself?'_ He'd asked himself, even as his fist hit the wall once again. "Why?"

He heard his voice, trembling with emotions, knowing that he had sinned against the natural order. Professor Ozpin had understood perfectly, had spoken to him about the good deed that he had done, even after he had summoned the time dilation Glyph.

He was now...

"Jaune?" He could hear Pyrrha's voice outside of the shower curtain, could see her redheaded self enough, her worry real. "Are you... okay?"

He wasn't okay. He had done something unnatural, even if he had done so with the best intentions. The anger inside him... the rage that had welled up at this cruel twist of fate... It mixed. He could feel her emotions on her children, he could feel her anger at the circumstances of the world, he could bring that to bear as well, even with how his body seemed to ache and throb. "I'm a monster..."

He didn't know why he said that, but it was true. It was true that he was a monster, defying the natural order of things. "Jaune..."

He could feel the presence of his partner. He knew well that it might not be wrong to feel this way, yet she was his partner, Pyrrha Nikos. "I've... Don't worry about me, Pyrrha."

"Jaune... Something is wrong." Her voice sounded urgent, even as he raised his head, the water washing over his features. He could see the look on Willow's face the moment that she had beheld her daughter, the moment that she had been able to work for the company under her father...

"Please..." He hit the wall again, the dull thud enough.

"It'll never be right again." He said, his voice bitter as he spoke, turning around. He pulled the curtain aside, Pyrrha's eyes looking into his own, her green eyes locked with his, even as he deflated, the bitterness inside him filling him with deep hopelessness.

 _'Who would... who would ever love a man who pulled someone from death's door? Who touched their soul and then tore it back...'_

"Hold me, please?"His voice was broken, even as he looked at his partner, his back under the spray. She didn't hesitate, wrapping her arms around him, the feeling of her head against his shoulder one of comfort.

"Whatever you've done... I believe in you, Jaune."

Her voice was calm as her hands brushed over his back, his back quivering and shaking, as the first of the sobs came from his mouth.

"I'm such a horrible monster... I've done... I've done something terrible. But I couldn't..."

He didn't know how to say it, even as he felt the tremors go through his body, the pain washing over his nerves and senses, his eyes closing at the feeling of her closeness.

"You did the right thing, Jaune. You are a good person." He didn't know why that comforted him so much, yet he felt Willow's embrace too, at that moment when she had come back to him.

"I broke about every natural law to save her..." He didn't know why, but... it felt right.

"You helped someone. Isn't that what Huntsmen do?" She guessed at what he had done... yet she was wrong.

"I... I interfered. I saved her when she was dying." He couldn't let go of that, even as he remembered the life that she had made for herself, Pyrrha's grip on him tightening.

"It's okay to help someone... It's not wrong." Pyrrha's voice came to his ears, even as he felt the tears come even more powerfully, his nose stuffed, holding her stronger.

"I wish that you'd just see that. Helping someone survive... is worth much more than just seeing them die."

It was an awkward realisation, yet he put the facts straight. If Willow had died... he might have been found guilty. It would be hard to claim innocence when he was the one at the scene, his body feeling like lead, even as Pyrrha held him, her fingers stroking through his hair.

"You saved someone... That's good. Miss Khan must be teaching you properly if you could help someone like that." She looked a little surprised at herself as she said so, her eyes turned away. "Please... Don't blame yourself."

It would be the words that Willow would use as well. She would want nothing but the best for him... Enough that she would cross through several ethical lines in order to make it work.

"Pyrrha... thanks." He pulled away from her, her eyes looking at him. Her pyjamas were waterstained on the front, her eyes looking at him, naked as he was, the scar standing out on his stomach.

"Jaune, you... Whenever you need me to support you, I'll be there for you. I'll always be there for you." It was a wonderful smile that she gave... and then the door opened and Nora barged in.

"Good mo-ooohhhIsawnothing." The door was shut as quickly as it had opened, Nora having done a rapid turn as she saw Pyrrha and him standing near the shower, Pyrrha perfectly positioned to hide his nakedness from her eyes.

It was a moment where he looked right at her face, her gaze drawn down. "Well, that was awkward... Don't you think?"

She blushed red, as she pulled her pyjama top open, exposing pale skin, a set of pinkish-red nipples crowning what was a very wonderful set of breasts, her cheeks red. "I... saw yours, so I'll show mine." Her voice was hesitant, even as she closed her top again.

Biology happened, her gaze drawn down and then blood rushing to her face, her steps back a lot less steady, even as she turned around and hurried out, her top closed up once more, and he realized that she'd just flashed him. _'Holy...'_

He turned back to the shower, all previous existential crisis temporarily forgotten, as he started to rub his body with a sponge to get himself clean again. He briefly wondered how Willow was handling this... Before he realized that Nora probably would like a shower as well.

Emerging from the bathroom with a fresh set of underwear worn, he became aware that Pyrrha was sitting on her bed, slightly dazed look on her face, whilst Nora continued to give him a look, little waggles of her eyebrows as she switched her gaze between him and Pyrrha. "Sooo... What was that encounter between the two of you, huh? Looked like someone was showing the goods to his partner, right?"

Pyrrha turned red in the face, even as he firmed his shoulders, looking at Nora. "She comforted me when I was sad, Nora. I've had..." He thought back to that moment when he had touched her, when the Aura had faded and she had lived once more.

"I've had a rough night."

Having to come to terms that he had done the impossible... and that he had taken from her something that could not be easily put back. He could feel the glyphs inside him, yet... he lacked the ability to unlock them. With his Aura, it was like a faint hope that sprung inside him, his eyes looking at the corners... With the headmaster's strange prodding, the Glyph had materialized, yet... He didn't have the blood of the Schnee family to make it work for him.

Intellectually, he could reason that it would take a blood transfusion to fully transfer the Semblance to him, a full blood transfusion... Yet that held its own dangers. The Semblance that was passed through the Schnee bloodline was their birthright... and he had no right to it. Jacques Schnee, for all his clamouring of status and such, had no right to wield the power of Glyphs, the fluke that had landed him the Glyphs...

' _I stole from the woman who means so much to me...'_

She was not just Willow Schnee, mother of Weiss, Winter and Whitley. She was Willow Schnee, brilliant businesswoman, a degree in Dust Science and Economics, someone who could shift the world on its axis with a simple word, a simple gesture. "Is everything alright?" Nora asked.

He smiled faintly. _'They don't need to know the stress I'm under... I can handle it.'_ "Just... I saved someone's life. I'm just a bit..."

He didn't like speaking lies. They would only hurt people... and that wasn't what he enjoyed. "out of it. I'll get better once I've heard back from... from the person." They gave him a weird look, Nora looking at Ren, who shrugged. The silent partner to the energetic member of his team merely gave him a smile, in that Ren-like way of him and nodded.

As he tugged his jacket on, he looked at the Scroll, seeing three messages already on it.

' **Are you alright?'**

It was Sienna who had sent it, and he tapped a quick response to her immediately.

' **Had a chat with the headmaster, ran into him once I got off the airship. He understood what I was going through, I guess...'**

She was typing back something, yet he looked at the other two messages. As it was now nearly seven in the morning, it meant that he would have missed Willow by two hours.

' **I'm doing... okay. I feel things, Jaune... I know things... and I'm sorry. I'm SO sorry. Please... forgive an old woman for having saddled you with this burden.'**

He saw the message and then slid the finger over the phone function. The call connected slowly, a dinging sound on his Scroll, even as he answered it. He walked to the bathroom for some privacy.

"I'm so sorry."

Her voice was like a siren's call, luring him even further into that guilt-riddled mess, as he took a deep breath. She continued, though, her words emotion-choked.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..."

"It's okay, it's fine..." he tried to soothe her, yet her nature was not like this. "You're alive, that's what matters." He could hear her take a few deep breaths, trying to calm down herself, a trick that she often used when overwhelmed with emotion.

"I can remember her, Jaune. She treated you unfairly... and it just wasn't FAIR. She shouldn't have made you a laughingstock... You should have..." Her voice broke, even as she sobbed softly. He could see the tears on her cheeks, had she turned on the camera function of the Scroll. "You should have been given a chance, because I know you are a good young man."

"It's okay... I know a few things more about Dust chemistry now. You probably know how to make some horrible music. I never was that great at the guitar." He tried to make light of the experience, even as she sucked in a deep breath.

"I have absolute pitch, Jaune." She said, her voice sounding as soft as it could be. "I'm a great singer, could have sung for the Mantlean opera if I desired to... or if my husband would've let me."

He knew why she hadn't. The desires of a wife to sing and to make the world a better place through her art were not to be practised by the wife of the Schnee Dust Company. Only Weiss had been groomed once her talent for singing had been decided to be 'acceptable'. He remembered the concert that she had attended, Weiss singing the aria that she herself had once sung, such a while ago, for her own father.

"Do you... do you feel different?" He asked. He hoped that she didn't feel as he had, remembering a lot of her life... yet the feelings of being worse than utter trash of a human being continued.

"I feel... lighter." Her voice hesitated to speak. "Jaune... I know my habits well and..." Her icon flashed below. "I've set you up with an account on the market. I'd normally say 'use it wisely', but you probably know that..."

"Using things wisely usually leads to money being lost." The saying had been something that her father had been fond of, favouring the swift buyout of the competition. Jacques had more of a macroeconomic twist to his style of management, with her father Nicholas caring more for the health of the workers below him. Jacques had made them a world-renowned name, yet he had also mingled with the darker elements of the world.

"You've got it... " She mumbled through the phone, Jaune watching how the video feed switched on. Her hair was messy and uncombed, even as she was still in the casual outfit, currently draped over a long couch, holding the scroll up to let him look at her face. "And I've still got it." She winked, smiling at him.

"Yes, you still look ravishingly... adorable?" He remembered faintly that her father had called her something like that at sixteen, the fading memory something that seemed to spring to his mind. He looked at her, turning the video on. She smiled at him then.

It was the smile that she showed to her daughters during better times. Her blue eyes sparkling lightly, her lips parted softly to show her white teeth, her eyes younger, somehow newer. "My, mister Arc... I am a married woman, you know?" Her voice was light, the tone taken being one of teasing, even as her eyes suddenly clouded.

"And..." She paused, even as she pressed her lips together. "I'm still sorry. I shouldn't have... I should have just passed away." He audibly growled at her. Her eyes widened, even as he looked at her.

"That's not the woman who stood up to the board and showed Sienna Khan what it was like to have a friend." It was the little things that he could recall. The pact between Schnee and White Fang High Leader, the admission of friendship. They enjoyed the presence of each other, even though the alcohol that they drank was often strong, they still got a bond that was getting harder to break.

"That's not the woman I like." The words slipped out. He couldn't say that he loved her, but... there definitely was no way that he could hate her. Her eyes went wide, surprise on those features, even as tears welled up.

"You... silly boy. You silly, silly boy... Oh..." Her hand brushed against her eyes, coming away wet. She looked at her hand before she turned her gaze back at the Scroll, her eyes oddly moist.

"I've got you, Willow." His voice was soft, yet it did not need to be loud. She was crying now, the emotions showing visible on her face again. "I've got you and I'm not letting you go."

"I'm... I'll send you something, something that you can use. I'll get the clearances, don't worry... Willow Schnee still has some things that she can call upon." Her voice was more resolute, even as she took a deep breath to clear her nostrils. "But... I have to ask..."

He was curious, even as she tilted her head, a smile on her lips. It was happier than the sad one of before.

"You could've escaped at any time... Did you really have to let them do the makeup too?" He was reminded of the memory and he smiled.

"I bet I'm much better at makeup now. I always made a mess before." He said, even as Willow smiled at him for that comment. It was the same smile on her face that lit up a room. "I should get ready for class though... Talk to you later?" She nodded.

"I've given the seed fund to your main account. It was easy, you don't have that many security features on it." The knowledge that he had gleaned from her, must have been gleaned from him as well. He had buoyed her when she was on the verge of death... and he had made her live once more.

"And... Jaune?" Her eyes looked at him. "Gravity Dust, Fire Dust, Ice Dust, Lightning Dust... And don't forget the Hard-Light Dust. Have fun thinking about that today." He had a puzzled expression on his face as she closed the connection.

He looked at the other message, noticing that it was from his mother.

' **Jaune Arc, care to explain why someone has put ten thousand Lien into your bank account?'**

Sienna's message had arrived whilst he was talking to Willow, her message simply a wall of text, stating the obvious about interacting with the headmaster. That she had to take three to four paragraphs to explain that Headmaster Ozpin was a mysterious man who was well-known for hiding his true intentions, was something that he didn't understand in the slightest.

He typed a swift response to his mother. She would get nervous without any sort of response from him, which was not really something that he would want to make her suffer.

' **Because I saved someone's life, Mom. They insisted that they repay me in some way.'**

She would have to be content with that. He had classes to go to. _'No matter what... Time to keep my chin up and bedazzle them.'_

Whatever Willow had meant with the Dust combination would have to wait.

* * *

Sienna Khan was not a complicated woman when it came to having her affairs in order. Lounging in one of the seats in the special suite that Willow had commandeered after thoroughly ruining the other one, she watched the woman shut the Scroll off, her eyes blazing. "You really had to talk to him... Right?"

Her presence was not desired here. The bodyguards were not used to each other, their motives were suspect. Willow smiled thinly, the smile on her lips being something that was a little less friendly than the one that she had shown to him. The Glyph that glowed in the air above them cast its glow on them, even with the way that it muted their voices to outsiders that tried to listen in. You could never be too careful in these times.

' _Whatever he did... it really messed her up._ '

She hadn't fully pried into things, yet she could confirm that it was something that seemed to make the world a little different in Willow's experience. The pale-haired woman looked at her, even as those eyes were as suspicious as they could get, moving to the bodyguard who was in the dog house right now, a suspect in the murder attempt. "We can discuss business next." She said, putting the mask of Willow Schnee on her face once more, turning towards Sienna.

"Thirty percent off for the next three deals and I can ensure that you won't suffer from any 'accidents'." The language was carefully constructed to give the White Fang some advantage, as was expected of her. Willow's eyes flashed impishly, even as she straightened out. The McSchnee had been a casual setting. The big burly bodyguard was someone who had been with the Schnee woman for a while, and it was not unusual for Eve to be around her as a personal guard. Despite her looks, she knew her way around breaking people, despite her tendencies.

"Ten percent. No accidents." The words were cool and calm as the counter-offer was balanced, the Dust both a necessity as well as a bait for her. "It seems that you have forgotten your place, Khan."

The tone that she used was more moderate than the insults that might be flying between the two of them, the delicate little game of balancing acts something that she would not allow to fall. "My place is atop your dead corpse, Schnee... Oh, and your little husband can just be put in the janitor position as well."

The insults carried no real heat, yet their personalities were rubbing against each other. "I will need sleep first... probably to see my hands around your neck, Khan. You're extorting me." There was amusement in Willow's voice, even as her eyes went to the bodyguards.

"Extortion is your type of deal, Schnee. We should probably discuss this in private again, when I've got my secretary draft up a better proposal."There was a line about that somewhere in the legal documents, yet there was only the need within her right now to make sure that her friend was okay. The blonde young man was of no serious import right now, as she had heard his responses...

And the thought that Willow stole a march on her bounced around as well. She had seen the emotional response, even as she tapped away at the keys in a response, had heard how the emotional side of things had happened. "He saved your life, didn't he?" Her voice was light, even as she directed her gaze to the Scroll.

Willow nodded. She motioned to the bear of a man, who came to her quietly in the circle of silence. "Get one of the Seven-three-thirty special prototypes from the SDC headquarters with type-nine ammunition, ninety magazines each. Deliver it to Mr. Arc after this rotation." The man nodded, whilst she wrote something down on a piece of paper, the flourish of the pen making her signature stand out.

"As you wish, Miss Schnee."

The man said, and Sienna got the strange idea that there was something that went beneath her notice that she really should have noticed.

"Miss Khan, we'd best adjourn to your office for now." The woman's voice was soft, even as she went to the wardrobe, shedding the blouse that she wore and then wearing yet another, the bodyguards shifting their positions a little. The Glyph faded out of existence a moment later, leaving them with the full range of noise available to them.

Willow Schnee appeared three minutes later, dressed in appropriate clothing, the business suit and jacket fitting her perfectly, even as she gave a confident grin. "Time to make sure that we get that deal hashed out."

Sienna would have to admit that if she did not know Willow's little ticks, she might have mistaken her for her daughter Winter, save for the rather mature look about her. The look in her eyes was now with a new sense of purpose... and Sienna found herself liking it. "You look ready to slay people, Schnee."

It was an amused chortle that came from her friend's mouth, even as she leaned forward and patted her head. "I'm not out of the race yet, Sienna..." Whatever cryptic meaning she had with those words was solved as the woman leaned closer.

"He masturbates to you."

A strange sensation inside her became the truth, as she realized that she was now imagining that young man touching himself, thinking about her. She nearly tripped herself up, catching herself in a flash of adjustment to her balance, even as she took a deep breath.

"You're lying." Her voice sounded a little more hesitant than she'd intended, already imagining that tool that he had between his legs, going right... She suppressed a shudder, determined not to show her enjoyment and odd pleasure in being the subject of a young man's masturbatory fantasies. She was not Eve, who wore her sexuality like it was a casual shirt.

"I saw more than I should have... and I think he saw more than he needed." The realisation that her thoughts on the young man may be known to him filled Sienna with an icy dread, as she realized that he would _know_ that she was not... against such a thing. A secret little thought aired only to her closest of friends and to Willow... If it got out...

 _'This sucks...'_

"I'm not out of the running either, Sienna." Willow's arm hooked around her own, the smile on her face reminiscent of one of those propaganda White Fang posters about the Schnee Dust Company, the look in those blue eyes like a charm. An alluring and devilish charm.

"I'm going to do my best too..."

"You're still married, you said so to him..." She smiled mysteriously, Sienna feeling a hint of dread go through her body even more than before, as the Schnee seemed to be thinking about things, even as they split apart and got into their different cars. She caught the Schnee mouthing a 'Who cares about that?' to her, which made the trip all the more conflicting.

This was going to be a challenge.

She liked challenges... but not for the love of a man.

She was NOT going to lose. _Ever._

* * *

He looked at the stocks as they ran over the Scroll screen, the link-up of the Stock Exchange Account that Willow had set him up with being easily done, his fingers tapping on the screen as he did so, his fingers swiftly selecting topics that could be of interest, the money in his account invested in a flash, the thousand or so that remained being more than he had originally had... but it was all going to pay dividends. _'I should make some investments later too, see how well the stock rises...'_

Willow Schnee was a person with a good eye for investment and the like. The shares of companies and their sufficient marketability was something that came naturally to her, his eyes paying attention to the girls that sat around him. Nora and Pyrrha were at his side, Nora talking about something excitedly with Pyrrha, with him the little barrier in between, whilst team RWBY was seated opposite of him.

He could see a nervous look on Weiss' face, even as she looked at him. _'No.'_ The word came to his mind, a vivid impression of what had been spoken by the girl, a mother left in despair... and he felt revulsion go through him. He would not wish for a girl who was not even willing to forgive her mother... that was just a bad precedent.

"Jaune..."

He looked at Ruby, who seemed to have caught on to his mood, the look on his face sharp, as his blue eyes met with her silver ones. "Are you okay? We heard that you came back really late..."

He mustered a smile. It didn't really reach his eyes, yet it soothed the girl. The dance of politics was as much a dance that he had trained with Sienna in. "I'm... alright. I had a rough morning." He smiled, even as she brightened. Yang's eyes met his own, no boisterous exchange happening from her, even as she took a deep breath and then shifted lightly.

"Hey big shot... care for a moment with me?" Her voice sounded a little stronger in the boisterousness than before, her eyes looking right at him, as he laid his Scroll down for a moment, the feed of stock exchanges continuing.

"Keep my Scroll safe for a moment, Pyrrha." He said, his voice soft as he got up, following after Yang, who moved a little quicker than normal, skipping the sashay. She was cautious enough to pull him into one of the supply closets, pressing up against him, a look on her face.

"What happened, Jaune?" Her voice was serious, even as her cheerful and happy look fell away like shattered glass. "This... this isn't you. You should be..."

"Have you ever felt like you did something wrong, Yang?" He asked, his voice sounding sober, as he looked at her, her eyes widening lightly. "That you've done something that would have been responsible for the death of someone you care for?"

Her lips were parted slightly, even as she exhaled. With the close space, he could smell the shampoo that she put in her hair, her blonde locks not as boundless as they appeared, her purple eyes looking almost wet.

"Y-yes."

Her voice broke, as something seemed to be pulled up from the recesses of her memories. It was a fragile side of her that she showed now, her gaze downcast, as if she had realized something sad.

"I'm dealing with that... I was..." She hugged him, her breasts pressing against his chest. It was a hug, stronger than he had expected.

"You are not alone, Jaune." Her voice was soft, nearly desperate.

"You're not alone, no matter how you think about it. You've been... fantastic." Her eyes met his again, her eyes moister than he'd seen again.

"You're the first boy that I really liked..." Her voice was a little softer, as she stood up and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"And I don't want you to hurt yourself like I was. I... I did something really stupid when I was younger. Took Ruby out with me into the forest, searching for my mom... Nearly got the two of us killed, if not for uncle Qrow swooping in to save us." She smiled faintly, as her eyes met his.

"Whatever you did... It can't be that bad that it should haunt you. You're too wonderful to be pulled down by this." He could see Willow's emotional face, could smell faintly the shampoo that Yang had in her hair, even as she pressed another kiss to his cheek. "Please..."

He had held Willow close, as she sobbed in his arms, as he felt how she was breaking down and he just forced his Aura into her... Her lifeless body. "You're crying." He heard her say softly whilst she looked at him, holding him.

"Easy... Easy... Just let it out." She sounded so understanding, such a contrast with how she had to appear. The tears dripped down on her face, even more than when Pyrrha had come into the shower with him, and she shushed him gently.

"I'm your friend." He felt his lip quiver, knowing that she was sincere.

"Are you okay again?"

She asked, her voice soft, her blonde hair brushed back, a hopeful look on her face.

"Yeah, it's just... She was someone who meant a lot to me and..." He looked down. He could remember how cold the skin had been, Yang's smile wavering lightly, her attention directed right at him, a soft punch against his shoulder.

"They're still alive, aren't they?" She said, her eyes looking deep and emotional. He nodded.

"They came back." He said, Yang nodding.

"That's good. You did a good job saving them." He smiled faintly, as he patted her head. The gesture wasn't reciprocated very well, even as the frown on her face was half-serious. "Stop that... Now go out there and be less broody. Weiss and Ruby are concerned."

"And... Yang?" He pressed against the door, the storage closet being more of a storage room than merely a broom cupboard. He smiled faintly. "If you ever need a hand with anything... Don't be shy and ask. We'll go on a date together... eh, sometime after I've survived Adam's sister." The raised eyebrow was enough, as he smiled faintly.

"Sienna wagered a date with me with her, considering I'm her 'bitch human'."The face that Yang made wasn't very pleasant, even as Jaune recalled the way that Sienna had announced it.

"No, I'm pretty sure that she isn't too serious about that... probably. She's a nice woman, a bit overly passionate but... Good." He shrugged lightly, as he was aware of things now about Sienna... several fragments of Willow's memory going on about the relationship that the two of them had, merely simple words and some recollections, yet not...

He could remember the older stuff better from Willow's mind, as they had more time to settle, even with how much of a mess it was. "I don't know about that, Jaune..." Yang's voice was hesitant, yet they did not know Sienna Khan as he knew her. She was a woman who did not take no for an answer if it benefited her cause. She was a strong woman who did not flinch away from danger, who looked at the world as if it were the oyster that she was going to crack open and take all the nice bits from...

And he shuddered as he remembered the oyster eating lessons that Willow had to take to appear 'fashionable'. Her own personal preferences tended more towards non-oyster dishes. "Thanks for... taking the time." He said, as he pushed open the door, Yang's fingers pinching his rear.

"Thanks for the heads-up, Jaune." She said with a hint of confidence, the relatively amused expression on her face hardly thought to be the mask that she wore, even as someone cleared their throat. A very familiar tone of clearing one's throat, his mind noticed.

A stern-faced Professor Goodwitch stood there with an expression that seemed to carry with it enough strictness to really make most people quiver, even as Jaune signed. "Just a personal chat, Professor Goodwitch." He said, holding his hands up, the woman's lips pressing tightly together.

"I find it rather suspicious to see you and Miss Xiao-Long sneak into a supply closet together... But... please, use this." The woman's hand offered a tissue.

"Your eyes are still a little red, it is best to maintain a good appearance. The Headmaster has informed me that you had been through some harrowing ordeal and that you are to be excused from any combat training sessions for the next week in order to adjust." The woman's face was stern most of the time, yet there was understanding in those eyes. A reflection of the burdens of humanity, burdens which were still unknown to Yang.

He wiped his eyes with the tissue, Yang making a nervous little sound behind him. She sounded so normal, even as he balled up the tissue, the professor already moving along, giving not another glance at him. "Are you okay?" She asked again, and he took a deep breath.

"I'll be okay." He mumbled, even as he knew that he might not be okay in the near future.

"I've got to have faith..." It was an old saying, one that he remembered well from his own youth. "And believe."

She patted his back. "Keep your chin up, Jaune. We care for you too much to let you be down."

He looked at her for the longest of moments, before he smiled. "Yang, no matter what..."

He moved close to her ear. "If you pull me into a supply closet again, I will show you what couples do in those places." It was innuendo, stuff that the outward appearance of Yang would be uttering, yet the blonde froze up, even as his fingers caressed her chin. She froze, a look in her eyes that was both fear as well as something that he couldn't describe, the way that he'd done that smooth action just... it fit. It was perfect for getting her to be flustered, to have that little centre inside his mind just giving him the satisfaction, a satisfaction of sealing a deal with great proceeds towards the company, a great deal... even as Yang flushed redder than before.

"Jaune, I..." Her arm wrapped around his own, even as he smiled at her.

"Got you, Yang." He winked. Willow didn't wink at people when she teased and flirted yet he could see that Yang was affected, her cheeks a little flushed, tongue sliding over her lips. Sometimes, the little sly digs at people didn't need to be delivered right up in their face.

He sat down in his seat once more, the girls around him focusing on him again. He could see Pyrrha looking at his Scroll with a puzzled expression on her face. "Something the matter, Pyrrha?"

"Oh, just..." She turned the Scroll to him, showing him the readout. The stocks were starting to slowly decrease, taking it from her and making a few adjustments to the price at which he would be buying them.

"Thanks for keeping it." He said, even as a few messages came to his attention, all from his mother.

He groaned, shaking his head. "It's my money, I can choose to do with it what I want..." He knew that the financial straits that the family was in would not be easily cleared up, with Camellia being somewhat of a no-show during most job interviews, the twins not having much in the way of applicable skills (though he had heard that they did a good job with actually keeping order in the local community centre) and his oldest sister Vivian mostly being out on Huntsman jobs.

"Upset family?" He heard Ruby ask, even as he smiled slightly, his attention turning to Weiss, who sat next to Ruby. She was slouching, her eyes looking at him with a curious expression.

She wasn't sitting properly, the urge to correct her rising, squashed nearly instantly afterwards. _'It is not my place to do so.'_

He knew that things would be different, much different... But he had the urge to just stand behind her and make sure that she sat properly, as a young lady was expected to sit. Not so boorish...

"Mom was a little upset that I spent 9000 Lien on the stock market..." He mumbled, even as he looked at his Scroll readout.

"But it's worth it. They should pay out... soon."

The amount of stuff that Willow had laying around on the international exchange was worth millions of Lien at the least, her investments always secure and safe enough to really work well with the economies of the four Kingdoms.

"It's a dangerous thing... You could lose a lot of money through that." Weiss cautioned, ready to lecture. He fixed her with a look, suppressing the anger within him at knowing that she had been one of the causes of her mother's despair.

"I'm fine, Weiss." He said, voice light, as he looked at her. "It'll all be fine in the end. I don't buy willy-nilly." He looked at the extra additions to the screen, even as his mother's messages kept on piling up. _'Sometimes, you can be a bit of a worry-wart, mom...'_

' **Everything will be okay. Trust me.'**

He sat on his bed, tinkering with the Scroll some more. The readouts of the first three price hikes had been more than satisfactory for him, investing some of the leftover capital in other stocks and speculating about the rise and fall of the Schnee Dust Company's stocks. With Willow's knowledge, he was savvy enough to realize certain trends and see opportunities. That his bank account did not reflect it immediately was a shame, yet it was enough for him. He knew that his value had risen by twenty-thousand Lien, even if he did not 'cash out' immediately.

A knock on the door distracted him, as Nora went to see who was there, coming face-to-chest with the burly bodyguard, carrying a large case in his hands. The man's head brushed against the door opening as he stepped in, past Nora, delivering him the case. "The lady wished that you use this." The man's hands opened the case once he got to the bed, the bottom folding out and unveiling a rifle.

The rifle was set within the bottom in one of the foam pads. "Please touch the grip, to allow for the weapon to recognize you as its owner." The man said, waiting for him to get up, his hand touching the grip. A small sting seemed to prick his skin, a minor drain on his aura, even as the weapon seemed to just click right.

"Ninety magazines of Dust ammunition have been delivered to your locker as per the standard operating procedure." The man paused for a moment, as he looked at Jaune.

Jaune, for his doing, was still looking at the rifle. "The manual is included within the case. Please study it before use." The man paused again, before he took a look at the team-mates, bowing before Jaune.

"For what you have done for the Mistress, I thank you." The man's voice was like a low rumble, even as Jaune smiled.

"I didn't want to lose her, Olav. You... know her. Does she still drink?" The man shook his head. Relief flooded his features, a smile on his lips.

"I was instructed to inform you of your status as a platinum card holder as well. Whatever you request, save for Atlas-restricted goods, shall be delivered.." Jaune nodded. It was for the premium package that the Schnee Dust Company provided to most Academies and Kingdoms. Platinum cards... There were seven or eight in rotation, one held by each Kingdom, save for Atlas, where the headquarters was located.

' _Sienna could ignite a war with the amount of Dust that she would have at her fingertips with the status.'_

It was a sobering thought... Yet Sienna was not a general. She was a leader, yet she was not someone who would be championing for the murder of innocents. She had restraint, passion and the skill to know when to back out.

"Thank you, Olav." He smiled, as he brushed his fingers over the smooth metal of the gun.

"The pleasure was mine. If not for your swift actions, there would be a funeral for the Mistress." The man bid them farewell, leaving Jaune to put the rifle back into its case, the reactions of his teammates coming immediately.

"Woah... It was one of those secret service guys! Totally kick-ass, going all 'You have earned the right to use this weapon, noble young man.' And then BOOM!" Nora's excited voice was enough to make him realize that they were excited, Ren's eyes looking at him with a curious expression. _'I won_ _der what's up with that look…'_

"It looks like a suitable weapon." Pyrrha's voice was soft, her gaze at the weapon in its case, the thick booklet that had accompanied it looking like more than just a little light reading right now. "Are you going to read that through completely?"

He nodded. "An early day at the mine is never a waste of time." The Atlesian saying slipped from his lips instantly, before he caught himself and frowned. _'I must be having a little bit of a feedback from her…'_

He wasn't sure whether this saving her thing had really worked out…

He hoped that everything would be alright.

' **Jaune, be present at the docks on Friday at 18:00. Eve will wait for you there. DO NOT BE LATE.'**

Sienna's message came through then, even as he sighed, pushing the page to the left, the instruction manual for the rifle thicker than he had anticipated.

' _I guess I'll be taking the bull by the horns then… Let's see whether Adam knows what his sister likes…'_

' **Adam? What does your sister like to do on a date?'** The question was sent and he laid his Scroll to the side, knowing that he'd get an answer back eventually. Adam responded at weird hours in the day, either way. His girlfriend's schedule was something that was a nebulous and ever-changing thing.

If he ever had a girlfriend though… He'd want someone who wasn't afraid to say what she wanted to say, who didn't take shit from anyone and who was able to make him smile…

Sienna's face, coupled with Willow and Yang's face, came to mind as he thought on that.

' _Hmm… Strange.'_

* * *

 **Another chapter, you may rejoice. Nearly a thousand followers too! Which is preeeeeeetty darn good, in my opinion. Seeing all the reviews just makes me work harder. I've got some GREAT things planned…**

 **First, Red Bull Jousting! Next… Belladinner! I got fun stuff planned for both!**

 **Reasons as to why I'm not explaining stuff about terms that're being used in the story – Find out later. If you're getting the answers to every test handed to you before it even starts, you'll be easily bored. If I'm referencing stuff, be sure that I'll mention it in the next 10-20 chapters. I keep timelines and what-not… and for the love of god, Camellia is the MIDDLE daughter. She is at most six years older than him. She is not Jaune's mother! (You haven't seen his mother yet.) Saphron is like... 29 or something.**

 **Leave a review! I like hearing you people's opinions on the latest chapter! Let's get to 1000 Favorites as well as 1000 follows!**


	25. Alegrias

**Chapter 25: Alegrias**

 **ZenithTempest, eat your heart out. A new chapter of The dance of tigers. Wooh. Imagine confetti rain coming down from the heaven. Now on with the show!**

* * *

The morning on the day of the date was a muggy mess, as he stepped into the bathroom, checking himself in the mirror. Nora was already busy with the shower, the girl's personal boundaries always remaining a mystery as far as things go. He could hear the clatter of the shower's spray in the background even as he brushed his teeth, the feeling of fading dread something that he had to work through, his eyes looking in the mirror as he brushed his teeth.

"Glorious leader…"

Nora's voice appeared from the side and he turned his head, expecting that she was wearing a towel to guard her modesty, coming face to face with a nude Nora, the droplets still pearling on her skin. His gaze was not unappreciative, even as he flushed redder. _'This is Ren's girlfriend… Your teammate. She probably wants something… or to have her grenades back.'_

The incident with a chain explosion had been enough to make him prohibit her from using her grenades for a while, after Professor Goodwitch gave them all the death glare of the morning classes.

"Aren't my breasts great, huh?"

The little bounce that she did made them bounce as well, her rather large and fit breasts doing a little circle that drew his attention fully, his mouth feeling awfully dry at the moment as he watched them, her eyes looking right into his own.

"Nora, I am not going to lift the ban on your grenades…" He said to her, even as she took a step further forward.

"Hmm…" She sounded thoughtful, which never was a good sign.

"What if I want to go boop with you, though?"

Her voice was more confident than it had been, as her eyes locked with his own. That he was still in his pyjamas and that she was completely naked was a fact, even as she pressed herself up against him. "Have that big long sword pressed right against my boop-bumps…"

His hands grabbed her wrists, before she had time to touch. His eyes looked right into hers, even as she took a little inhale, her eyes looking up at him. _'She's just like Terra when she was teasing me when she and Saphron started dating!'_

His hands let go of her wrists, seizing those round globes of milk-giving import, a shudder going through her body, even as his hands handled them with far more expertise than most men would have the right to have. _'I'll show you… Willow's a near-expert in the art of self-pleasure…_ '

That she preferred her models fit and that there was a certain technique to drive herself wild, he would not readily disclose to her even if she asked… yet he knew his way around the female body by sheer experience. Nora's eyes met his own, their wide-eyed gaze something that seemed to be surprise and something else carried within. "J-Jaune?"

Her teasing had gone on enough. His palms pressed against her nipples, even with that touch sending a shudder through her body. "You're a naughty girl." He tried his best to scold her a little, those eyes looking at him as his hands gave a squeeze, a breathy startled moan coming from her, even as he pushed her against the wall. She looked small, tiny and a little startled, unused to the advance. His knee rose slightly, right against her groin. _'Just right…_ '

Ren better forgive him for this, because he was just laying hands on his girl. "J-Jaune?" She whimpered his name again, even as his knee brushed slowly up and down, her hips giving an instinctual bump against the stimulus.

"Shut up." His voice was direct, laden with enough of the command that he could muster, Nora's soft groan stifled, even as he put his face close to her.

"You're not getting permission to use your grenades, no matter what you say or what you do to tease me into giving in." The knee brushed against her thigh, even as his hands gave those breasts a massage, the fingers kneading the supple and pliant flesh, her body as soft as it could be.

The expression on her face told him all, those lips faintly parted and those eyes a little clouded, showing that she was right off her balance.

"Be a good girl and I'll see about lifting the ban after the weekend."

His hand seized her chin, as he remembered from some of the romantic drama's that Willow enjoyed. A sign of command, of guidance and control. Forcing her gaze up at him.

Nora made a sound that was half-between a strangled cat and some sort of weird blurble, as her eyes looked right down, her fingers stroking over his chest. "Jauuunee…"

"Ah… You won't get to use that on me." His hands let go, seizing her wrists and pinning them above her head, her eyes looking right at him.

"I gave you an order, Nora. I expect you to follow it. Pyrrha can follow orders… So why can't you?" He was a little irked that she was trying to fluster him with her body… _'That won't work on me… not anymore.'_

Willow was hardly a prude when it came to watching such stuff. She may have only had the vaginal experience that produced her three children as a memory, yet she was not someone who didn't know how to use her body to achieve what she wanted. "I'll be good." Nora said, her voice oddly breathless.

"Good job on sticking to your code, Jaune." Ren said from his left, where he stood wearing his regular pyjama's, Jaune giving a little smile as he let go of Nora's arms. Ren had suddenly appeared, just like a ninja would.

"Get back in the shower, Nora. You heard Jaune... no playtime for you." He commanded her, Nora looking at her boyfriend and life partner, making an indescribable sound in the back of her throat. Her hand grabbed her boyfriend's, starting to drag him to the shower. _'I guess it's time that she vents some frustration with her boyfriend… Gee, it must really wear on her that she's not allowed to blow things up.'_

He got out after putting the toothbrush in the cup that was reserved for toothbrushes, seeing Ren's pyjama shirt hit the hamper, a soft whine of 'It's not fair Rennie!' and a muted 'I understand' coming from her boyfriend, who seemed to understand.

He watched Pyrrha, flushing slightly as he saw the look on her face, remembering what her breasts looked like... _'Now there's a girl who needs a nice boyfriend.'_ He wasn't cut out for that, though. She was making eyes at him, her fingers brushing over the nice round outlines of her breasts, the pyjama's raised up, revealing the thin shirt that she wore below. _'But... There's no harm in looking at my partner, is there?'_

It was an excuse, he knew... but damn, Pyrrha was a nice, good girl. She would need a man who could be there for her, not some bastard like himself. He wasn't good for anyone now, not after what he had done.

He dressed swiftly for class, fading the encounter with Nora out of his mind. Her gaze was a little more subdued now after he'd taken the initiative, her eyes flickering to him with a hesitant expression. _'Kind of a little bit like Yang, but more... bold? Did I do something? I hope she's not mad at me for touching her like that.'_

"Jaune..." Nora's voice was softer than usual, as she looked at him whilst they were seated in Professor Port's class, the man's voice speaking about his encounters in Eastern Vacuo, her hand reaching to brush against his side.

"I'm sorry." She said, even with her voice sounding like it did not sound so sorry, her fingers brushing down.

"I'm not changing my stance on this." His hand grabbed hers, directly so. He watched her face turn moodier, even as she groaned.

"Rennie said yes, I want this, Jaune." Her voice was that little pleading tone, even as she leaned up against him. "I want to feel explosions... I want to rock your world, Jaune."

He frowned, looking into her eyes and seeing their depths peer right back at him. His other hand tapped her chin. "Request denied. I'll think about it though." She pouted, adorably so.

She was a good girl, if not a bit too enthusiastic about the explosions that she preferred. She obviously was the one pushing Ren along, with how enthusiastic she suddenly hugged him, a startled look on his face appearing, even as she seemed to lean in close to kiss his cheek.

"This isn't the place for this..." He heard Weiss say, his head turning to the upper row to see that she had turned her gaze away from Ren and Nora, Ruby peering at the stage from her cloak, her face awfully flush, even as Nora seemed to stroke over Ren's side. _'Eh... perhaps she's just getting a good feeling... Or he's having a stomach ache?'_

Yang's eyes looked right at him and she gave him a meaningful look, directing his gaze to where Nora's hand was moviiiii- His hand was in motion, pinching Nora HARD on the side. "Stop that and do that in private." She relented, Ren looking noticeably relieved.

"Mister Arc, what is your interpretation of the Aerchysotiperops?" The subject of the lesson was one of the bird-like Grimm that seemed to be common around Vacuo, the recollection of Willow about going down there once with her father telling a tale of the creatures that hawked around the few watering holes and the oasis in the desert region.

"A bird Grimm that needs to be dealt with from a distance, with plenty of space to prevent the lethal explosion of intestinal juices." The creatures had a nasty habit of dive-bombing at the Huntsmen when their eyes were distant, though with good anti-air defences, they could be easily waylaid.

"And what is their preferred method of attack, Mister Arc?" The professor fixed him with a look, stating that the answer was decent, yet more information was required to soothe the teacher's inquiry.

"Dive-bombing whilst the ground Grimm attack, distracting the Huntsmen to deliver their deadly payload." The teacher nodded, before his attention turned to Nora.

"The answer is good, yet incomplete! When I was at Vacuo, they were... Oh, Miss Valkyrie, please be sure to pay attention." The man's eyes sparkled with something that could be amusement. "You may like to hear about the way that I dealt with a persistent flock, rather than focusing on bothering your partner."

Nora flushed lightly as she was called out, her cheeks having a dusting of red. "I'll try to make sure to pay attention, professor!"

He stood in the bathroom again six hours later, preparing himself for the date that he was soon to go on. The clothing was the same as he had worn when he was out on the town with Yang, allowing himself a look in the mirror, spotting the hesitation in his eyes, unsure of whether this would be a good date or not.

Adam's response had been... interesting.

' **YOU WANT TO DO WHAT WITH MY SISTER?! SHE'S CRAZY!'**

A video feed had been attached to the message, showing Eve and Adam currently snuggling, Eve working the Scroll camera whilst Amanda seemed to be somewhere in the distance. The fact that they were all naked was not lost on him. "Sooo... Say to Jaune that you want him to date me, Adam... Come on, my little red bull."

The look on Adam's face was enough, the scar standing out clearly, even as he was trying to get out of her grip, Eve licking slowly over her brother's cheek. "Let me go!" He cried, even as Eve adjusted her grip slightly.

"Aww, Jauney... You're watching this, right?" The look in her blue eyes was warm, even as she rose slightly. Adam's face was covered in her cleavage, showing clearly that they were bigger than he had imagined. "Come on, Adam..."

"Date this crazy cow bitch!"

The hands flailed slightly, even as Eve pouted, the nipples visible in his view.

"Bad little Adam... Amanda? I think he needs the toy that's located in the third bag on the right..." The girlfriend of Adam made a comment that he couldn't quite catch, Adam giving a struggle against his sister's locking arms.

"Not again! No! You are not-" A gag was fitted into the mouth of the man by Eve, who seemed to be stronger in build than her brother. It was strange, but...

"Hush now, Adam... It's going to be fun. You're going to smile again." Eve winked at the camera. "I'll make sure you get this, Jaune..."

Jaune watched as the girlfriend came back into the view of the camera, something very large and made out of black... plastic, there at her groin. Adam's 'Uhn-gnuuuhhh!' sound was pitiful, even as the girlfriend's fingers were rubbing the distinctly phallic shape, applying some sort of gel to it.

"Now... Eat your beef, Adam..."

The Scroll lifted up, even as Adam's sounds in the background turned a little more frantic, the soft 'Hush now, my little steer... Amanda's going to fill you RIGHT up...', Eve visible for a moment as she moved away. There was a sound that he didn't quite want to remember, a brief view on what was happening and...

 _'This is so wrong...'_

"Let's have fun on our date, Hero." The scroll connection cut then, and he had sent a quick **'Are you alright?'** after he had received the message. It took Adam nearly thirty minutes to respond.

' **I'm probably never going to live this down... But I am able to walk still. Eve is...'** The man's message cut off for a moment, before the next response was nearly five minutes later.

' **She's still my big sister. I may not like her, but she's still my twin. Just... take her out for a nice dinner. She may flirt a lot and be crude but... Do as you do, okay?'**

He ran his fingers through his hair, adding a small dash of gel to it in order to smoothen it a little, knowing that it would probably be shaggy again after a while, the dash of aftershave that he applied enough to make him look properly respectable. _'Like a good son of Atlas...'_

He emerged from the bathroom to see Nora sitting on his bed, Ren and Pyrrha nowhere in sight, her eyes looking at him with a gaze that was more intense than he'd seen before. "You're going on a date with that Faunus guy's sister, right?" She said, her voice sounding a little less excited than before.

"Yes, that was the plan." Nora looked thoughtful for a moment, before the smile came to her lips. "Here... Ren and I were planning on buying new ones... So these ought to fit." The small package of condoms she held out, looking right into his eyes. "Just... don't be a stranger, alright? Things didn't work out well with Yang and..." she didn't seem to have the heart to tease him, even as she took a deep breath.

"I care for you. Ren and I have had a long chat... Well, okay, more like a short chat and a lot of fondling and he just licks my ear so sweetly that I just had to give him a bit of a hand and-" he held up a hand to stop her, knowing far too much about their relationship than he'd like to. "Come home safely, alright?"

He grabbed the pack of condoms and ripped it open, tucking three of them in his wallet. _'I'm probably not going to use them, I mean... She's just a young woman who wants a date. Adam's sister can't be that bad, right?'_ "I hope that they're the right size." She said, even as her tongue licked over her lips.

' _I don't know what size I am.'_

He appreciated the forethought, even though he was sure that it was just going to be a nice evening out with a woman who was a sister to Adam.

* * *

He disembarked from the airship nearly half an hour later, the time on the clock reading ten minutes until he was expected to be there according to Sienna, the faint lightheaded feeling of airship travel making him wish that he'd brought pills or something, as he felt queasy all over.

He opened his Scroll up, checking his messages. He could see several more from his mother, telling him to stop being so stubborn and tell her what he had done, a message from Cammy that asked whether he had any money left from saving whoever it had been and a message from Vivian that basically told him not to lend money to Cammy. _'Viv would say that, yes...'_

"Oh... I spot a man who's got an interest in his Scroll rather than taking this hot cow out for a stroll." The voice of Eve came from slightly in front of him, his eyes lifting from the scroll to look at her.

A top that was straining, a shirt with MEGA MILK scrawled on it in bright red letters, the white colour adding only more volume to the way that those breasts moved, her red hair done up slightly, the glittery accents something that he hadn't expected, the short skirt that she wore outlining those legs of hers.

"See something you like, pretty man?" Her voice was possessed of a certain charm, even as he swallowed audibly.

She certainly had sex appeal aplenty, as she moved into his personal space, her arm wrapping around his own, her bountiful talents brushing against his arm. "Oh... I..." He felt tightness in his pants, as this woman embraced her sexuality completely in every motion that she made.

"Hmm..." Her finger danced a slow path down, giving his hips a little pat. "Not time for the reward yet, honey..." He was aware that he was garnering disgusted looks from the people at the docks, his eyes catching a young woman with green hair giving a look and then shaking her head. _'Wasn't she from Haven or something?'_

"Let's get going. You obviously wouldn't know the right places to eat... But I've got a good taste for that stuff." The fact that she was already taking charge couldn't be denied, even as her eyes glinted with that delight as she seized his hand, her fingers touching his own, a low grunt coming from her lips as she did so, her eyes meeting his own.

"Unless you've got... Different tastes?" Her tongue slid over her lips, as she leaned close to his ear. "Your big hard cock stamping my little postcard frequently, huh?" The offer was probably the best that he'd gotten, yet he felt something inside him recoil at the thought. He didn't know her well enough to consider it...

' _Willow, Sienna and maybe Yang have that privilege...'_

He could genuinely say that he felt closest to those three. Willow spoke for herself, the experience that he had shared with her... The brief tale of caution of his youth of a man who stole the bodies of others coming to his mind, even as he knew that she would be willing... yet it was still too early for him... he didn't know what to do, despite knowing WHAT to do.

Yang was fun to be around, a lot like a Ruby that was more willing to have deeper and mature conversation with him. It was one of the parts that she didn't show often, yet he had been well-entertained by her acceptance of the Remnantian Origin Theory, as well as a complaining session about Ruby's proclivity to lead into arguments with Weiss about stupid things, things that made little sense.

Sienna... Sienna was the crux of the issue. She was fierce and powerful, a woman who had found her life in the world and lived it. A guilty pleasure to imagine her in a sexy outfit, to see those curves that he had witnessed in action more than once in a different manner. _'The way that she looked was somewhat hesitant... Yet she did check me out.'_

"Please don't make light of it." He said, Eve silencing herself, her eyes looking into his own for a fraction of a second, a slow nod coming from her as she understood. "I want my first time to mean more than just... animalistic rutting."

It was an expression that Willow had heard more than once from her husband's mouth, the man grumbling about the workplace violations and the ethical side of making money keeping him from his prize of obtaining more money.

"Animalistic rutting is fun though..." Eve whispered in his ear. "Just imagine it... My glorious ass rubbing against that big strong spear of yours, Jaune." Her tongue licked over his earlobe. "Wouldn't that feel good, huh? A tight Faunus ass rubbing against that big fat spear that'll slay all the pussy Grimm in the world?" Her teeth nipped at his earlobe, even as her breasts prominently pressed against him.

"Just imagine Sienna like that... Her pert little ass up in the air, spread lips waiting for that big hard human dick slamming home inside her... Doesn't that fill you with the urge for some rutting, hmm? Big strong man, treating this little cow like she's Khan the Indomitable... Fucking the shit out of that tight ass. I can do a good simile of her... I've known her for years. I know most of the tricks that'll really send her going WILD when you finally coax her into your bed, stud boy..."

Their walk was continuing onwards still, even as the image that she sketched with her words was one of desires... Imagining Sienna like that, to see her arch her back and give him that look with her fiery eyes was enough to make his pants a little tighter. "And when you've got that kitten tamed... You're going to be the fucking alpha predator in the flock, aren't you? A man needs his confidence..."

Her hand grabbed a hold of his groin, a pleased moan coming from her lips. "A _lot_ of confidence you have here, Jaune..." His hand grabbed her hand and he jerked it away, even as he pushed her away, her blue eyes showing a light shift, even as her expression remained that teasing sultry look.

"Hmm... Wanna play rough with little old me? Going to press this fat-titted milk cow into an alley and fuck her like the little whore she is?" He could see the look on her face, the people around him staring, looking at him, at Eve, his eyes narrowing. This wasn't how someone should act in public, it literally went against all decency. The prostitutes in Mantle were more polite than this!

"Shut your face and take my arm, Eve." He spoke her name with that little inflexion that just demanded obedience from the people lower in the totem pole, the one that Willow often busied when she was needed to give orders, the one that he used when he was telling Vivian to lift her head, the one that the big brother inside him busied when dealing with childish antics...

She followed suit, her arm within his own, as he increased his stride. "You may think you're being funny, that this is all a joke, but it isn't." He looked around, noticing that the looks seemed to have strayed elsewhere, even as Eve remained silent.

"You can talk a whole lot of crap, but when it comes to things like relationships, you're just like Adam." He looked right into her eyes, stopping and pressing her against the wall. She was nearly half a head shorter than he was, yet she allowed him. "Afraid. You tease and deflect, just like a friend of mine, embracing the gifts that you've gotten and trying to make sure that they don't touch you deeply..."

His face was closer to hers, and her head was back against the wall, her eyes a little skittish. "You may speak about going to someplace and letting me sleep with you, like it's an easy little voucher that can be given out, like it's just something that's like a coupon... deliver here, get a free handjob." His eyes bored into her own.

"It's not. You may be proud in your body, you may say that you are able to do a good impression of Sienna, but you are not her. You don't have that fire in your eyes that will allow you to do everything, you don't look like you're able to work a crowd as well as she can, coming out of the dirt smelling like roses and sunflowers... because you're afraid." His eyes left her then, looking at her.

"The shirt just exposes your breasts like they are funbags, something to draw attention away from your face. The skirt is too short for casual wear, maximising your sex appeal. You tease and you whine as long as it takes for someone to give in..." Her lip was quivering, yet he didn't give a damn. "Going to cry now, Eve? Are you really that much like Adam, throwing a fit because your ploy at being the cool girl is all poked through?"

She composed herself, her expression still as it was, even as her expression barely changed, a look of demure fascination coming from her eyes, a deep breath taken. "I'm..." She started, yet he pressed a finger against her lips, silencing her words.

"You're a pretty woman. No matter what you do, no matter how much you say otherwise... You wouldn't be a friend of Sienna if you weren't a good person. She is one of the best people I know, she really cares for the Faunus as a whole... And you know what? I think I can see myself marrying someone like that."

Her eyes went wide, and he didn't know why he had said it like that. "Don't cheapen yourself, Eve. I know you do some sort of acting gig, but please... Don't just treat yourself like a toy to be used. It's..." He paused, a grimace on his face showing clearly. "It's something that happened to my middle sister..."

He took a deep breath, guiding her along with him, the small diner that sat at the side of the walkway enough, the sign that he saw put up there ignored by him.

"Oi, we don't serve Faunus here!" Someone said, yet his attention was mostly on her, his head turning. _'Why can't people see that they are people as well?'_

"Let's leave, Jaune." Eve looked uncomfortable, and he sighed, giving a look at the one who had spoken, a man in his late forties or something and shrugging.

"Their loss, Eve." He didn't use any sort of endearments, as she fitted her hand into his own, giving it a squeeze. For someone around eight years older than him, she looked a little less confident and certain, even as he pulled her along, leading her around in search for someplace where they could sit down. A bench was enough, even as they sat down. She leaned against him, her body resting there against him.

"My sister Camellia's been dating with guys that weren't much and... She's made a few bad decisions." His face looked serious, even as he took a deep breath. "We caught her before she fell into the bad zone where there's no return from but..." His voice halted, even as he remembered that day.

"Drugs?" She asked, her voice gentle, his head giving a nod to confirm those words.

"Those're bad. I see them sometimes, drugged out junkies trying to act popular on set, yet failing due to the shiver they give... I'm 100% clean. Gotta be, if you're in the line of work we do." Her voice offered comfort, even as she laid her other hand on the one that was holding his own.

"I'm... I'm sorry, for what it's worth, I'm sorry." She seemed to be hesitating for a moment, even as her Scroll rang, a ringtone that was unknown beeping there. She answered in a moment, her body language changing slightly.

"How do you mean, 'where are you'? I had the evening off, we're not shooting the night scenes yet, are we?" The one on the other end seemed to disagree, Eve giving a faint grimace, as she looked around. "Listen, I'm out on a date with a-" A sound of frustration, as whoever was on the other end went and said something that annoyed her.

"No, it's a friend of my brother. Remember? The one with the big sword." The sound on the other end was doubtful. "No, I'm not... You know what? That whole filmography of mine? Send it right to Beacon Academy, after I've had a chance to sign it. Those guys there need something with a bit of a Faunus touch there to lighten their stress a bit. Hey, Jaune? Dorm number?"

He blinked. "Twelve-fifteen?" Eve grinned at him.

"Twelve-Fifteen, I'll be signing them before I head to bed. Let's give some REAL cinema to them stressed out people at Beacon, shall we? It'll be _great_ PR too!" She seemed confident and happy about it, for some reason. It was nice to see a similar expression on her face as also featured on Adam's face, her eyes glinting with amusement as she got what she wanted.

"And, eh... Yeah, it is Jaune Arc, yes..." She looked at him, before holding out the Scroll. "She wants to chat with you."

"Hello?" He asked, the woman on the other end of the connection clearing her throat.

"You are the Hero of Vale, yes?" The title was a little strange, yet it had been given to him post-fight at the docks. "We'd like to make you an offer. A production featuring you and several actresses, re-enacting the fights that gave you fame."

"Ah?" He was a little caught aback, as he gave Eve a look, who shrugged. "You mean, eh... Would you shoot me again?" He caught an amused sound from the other end of the connection.

"Oh no... There'll be no shooting or anything of the sort. Mister Arc... It is a rare thing to have someone who would be willing to feature amongst a Faunus in one of our productions." There was a pause, as the woman took a deep breath.

"Eve has said that she would be willing to play the role of Mister Taurus, and if you would be so kind as to inquire whether team RWBY would be willing... Allow me to just send over a few of the pictures... This won't take long." The Scroll beeped and the woman gave a soft exhale. "We look forward to working with you, Mister Arc. Sienna Khan speaks highly of you, a rarity of course, given her pro-Faunus stance... So this opportunity will be offered to you and team RWBY. Miss Belladonna still has an active account on our website."

He shrugged. _'A movie deal about something that's like... in the past... Well, it'd give mom and my sisters something to work with.'_ "How much would we be paid?"

Eve grinned. "Ten thousand for you, Jaune. Nine-thousand-five-hundred is the going rate for most actresses in supporting roles." He wondered what that was all about.

"Ah, the Leader of RWBY is fifteen, do you think we need to get her parents to sign off on her appearing in our stuff?"

"If she agrees, she agrees. Beacon Academy entrance is seventeen, so I guess it'd fall under 'emancipation', but you should inquire first whether we'd have the whole team up for it. The Schnee might be a little hard to convince, they're a very stubborn lot..." The woman sounded like she knew what she was talking about, her musing voice enough, even as Eve grinned broadly at him.

"So... We'll be going on with our little date and you can hash out the details of production cost and estimated budget for props and the like as well as renting a warehouse... Oh, and we'll go over pretty faces now, alright?" The Scroll was clicked into the display mode after the call disconnected, the woman obviously getting busy with whatever task it was, and he could see a pretty Mistralian face pop up.

"Hitomi Tawnaka, been in the business for a while, East-Mistralian..." The picture was risqué, the woman's huge front compartment looking like it would spill out of the very thin blouse that she wore, not a bra in sight. _'Like inflated beach balls in a net...'_

"Asa Ashkira, a good style, great at acting out impromptu scenes, perfect to replace your friend Lie Ren's role. Did some Mistralian advertisement as well." The picture that was on the screen was... a very nice one. He tried not to stare at that seductive looking face, even as the come hither motion was made. _'Oof...'_

"Ann Lie Orokita, great for doing whatever jobs they want and keeping proper poise... oh, and don't worry, I've done stuff with her before and she's GREAT with more girls." There was a pause, lasting for a while. "I think she's Half-Atlesian, but I didn't really ask her too much personal stuff." There was a faint pause. "I mean... You are going to do it, right?"

"Yeah... Ten thousand Lien is going to be a good bit of cash for mom and my sisters..." He didn't mind doing some re-enactment. Eve looked oddly satisfied at him, as she nudged him.

"You'll get to see this hot cow in action then, Jaune. Aren't you a lucky man?" Some more pictures scrolled past, showing lookalikes to Nora and Pyrrha, several of them looking pretty fine, with one, a red-haired Faunus, clearly springing out with her unique green eyes.

"I'd never really thought that I'd get to be in a movie... I should tell mom!" Eve's eyes went a little wider.

"Hold off for a moment with that... That other team hasn't agreed to it yet, we'll probably have to get your headmaster's permission to take you guys out of class for a few days or so... Don't worry, everything'll be paid with a bit of subsidizing..." The woman seemed to fidget for a moment, as she took back her Scroll, giving a little hum as the zipped through a few people's pictures.

"Yeah, I'd better ask them first. They may say no, after all." Eve grinned suddenly.

"We can get some lookalikes. There are quite a few people who've got the desire to be in the industry." He didn't quite know what she did, but she had hinted at being in the movies. _'I wasn't really aware of any of the movies... Spruce Willis doesn't really feature women stars...'_

She paused then, looking at him with an expression of curiosity, grinning a little broader than before. "You think that you can act pretty well, Jaune?" She held her hand out, looking him right in the eyes, her own blue eyes meeting with his own, even as he looked down at that hand.

"Well, I'd give it a go?" The broad grin as he reached for her hand and shook it, her eyes sparkling a little, as she glanced at her Scroll for the time.

"We've got a place to be at, Jaune." She said with an amused tone of voice, as if something funny had just happened. "Sienna is going to love you... Yep. You're a real swell guy, no wonder Adam's able to accept you as you are..."

The wistful tone of her voice sounded more or less sad, as an expression came to her face. "Guess I am doing it..." Her voice sounded resolute, even as she got up, standing up straight. "Let's get something to eat first, Jaune. You're going to need your energy."

The restaurant that they walked into was one of those types that had a variety of styles for food, the sign outside not barring Faunus from entry, getting seated at the table. Eve looked at him, a smile on her lips, even as her tongue slid over those soft lips after a moment.

"I'm going to make sure that you're able to be the man you need to be." She said, her voice unusually soft. It was like Adam's voice at times, when he was serious about something, the emotions that he felt never making him raise his voice.

"I'm already a better man." She shook her head, her horns standing out with her hair.

"You can be better." She said, honestly looking at him with an expression of care on her face, even as she began to arrange her tableware into what looked to be a commoner style to his eyes. He knew the rules of etiquette well, Willow's own table manners definitely polished to a glistening potential with her repeated visits to highly placed people throughout the world, yet there was the burden of things resting upon him.

"Ahh, I love meat." She mumbled as she selected a few dishes already, speaking quickly to the waiter about her dishes being seasoned right, whilst he merely settled for a skewer of several pieces of grilled meat with some potatoes and spinach. It was simple food, yet it was filling.

Her eyes looking at him, her knee brushing against his own. "A big hard chunk of thick meat..." She licked her lips, even as she leaned forward. Those heavy breasts laid upon the table, even as her face was as close to him as it could be.

"But that flesh is needed to be given some special treatment before it could be eaten. Tenderizing the meat..." Her finger pressed against her lips, her gaze locked with his as that digit slowly drove into her mouth, calling to mind a wholly different image, as her tongue slid over the digit.

"Making sure that it's properly filled with hot sauce..." The finger's thrusts were slow, as her eyes locked there with his own, her breathing moderate, and yet with that own delicateness, she continued. "Treated..."

Her teeth were very white as her tongue rolled over the finger, sliding over that flesh as her gaze turned scorching in its intensity. "Made to order..." The finger drew away, brushing over her chest. He swallowed, heavily. Her eyes were definitely locked on his own, as he felt a foot brush over his groin.

"And..." Toes brushed, gripping and moving, a low sound from his throat, as she moved. "Given to those who deserve it."

' _This has to stop.'_

His hand reached under the table, grabbing her ankle and pushing her foot away, her eyebrows raised in a moment of surprise, before she grinned. "Oho..."

The look in his eyes firmed, as his grip on her ankle firmed. "Don't do that." He said, Eve's eyes playful, as her toes wriggled a little.

"Hmm... A bit of playfulness is to be expected, after all... You're a big boy, Mister Arc... Allow me to play a little..." He knew that her insinuations were mostly to rile him up, his eyes meeting hers.

"No, there won't be anything like that happening." He said, voice more resolute, as her eyes narrowed slightly. It was a look Adam had down to pat, even as she nodded.

"A moment. Gotta place a call." Her voice didn't quiver for an instant, her Scroll in her hands, dialling a number. "Ferdinand? Yes? Make it a Pogrom. A Wrangle isn't going to cut it."

She smiled at him with one of those 'Adam Smiles' that put him off his ease, watching her carefully as she seemed to find some amusement in the way that he sat there, the moment when her foot had touched him still in his mind.

"You're not making much sense."

She smirked, as she shook her head. Her breasts did interesting motions in her shirt, a clear sign that she didn't really wear much of a bra... if at all. "Oh, I don't need to make much sense, cutie..." Her tongue slid over her lips as she looked at him.

"I just need to make you know your value as a man."

Her voice was oddly breathless, as if she were keeping in laughter, even as the food was placed in front of him.

"I'm pretty eh... yeah, I'm seventeen. Not much value in me." He knew that Willow's opinion about him was very high, Sienna more or less tolerating him out of some perceived value, and he wasn't sure about whether there was much more to say about that. He was just regular Jaune Arc, not some sort of dashing rogue who made women fall for him without even a blink of his eyes, lusting after him.

"Oh, I disagree..."Her voice was dark and delicate, her eyes looking at him as her tongue licked over lips, the meaty dish that she had speared with a hand, even as she let her lips wrap around the meatball that she'd speared on her fork.

"You're one of the few people who doesn't take the suggestions I'm offering and does what he wants..." Her eyes were darkening in their blue shade, as if there had been memories that were not too positive popping up. "It's almost a pity that..."

She paused, before she smiled. "Oh... I definitely am going to take you somewhere after we're done with the food. You're going to show me your value there, Jaune..." A grip on her fork, as another meatball was speared down to the plate, her eyes locking with his as her lips pressed against that round sphere of venison, her tongue rubbing over it, a smudge of sauce on her full lips, even as it disappeared down into her throat.

They walked through the docks of Vale afterwards, Eve leading him along. She hadn't explained to him why they were going this way, yet it mattered not. _'If she wants me to see something, I'm not going to deny her the chance.'_

"Password?" The male voice of the one who partly opened the door was enough, even as Eve grinned.

"The White Fang lives and human is on the menu." There was a hint of excitement in her voice, even as the door opened up a little more, the man's face covered in a mask. Jaune could feel a shudder go through him, reminded of that encounter at the docks, reminded of the time when he had failed for the first time...

"You, Human... You're not-" Eve held up a hand, making a shushing noise.

"Special guest of the evening... A proper Pogrom needs a guest of honour, doesn't it?" Jaune felt uneasy, as he tried to think on what exactly the meaning of a 'Pogrom' was, his mind feeling a little foggy at the thoughts.

"Belladonna won't be happy if he hears of this... There are over two-hundred people here... You calling for a Pogrom... Did Khan sign off on this?" There was a smug smirk on Eve's face, as she hugged his arm.

"Oh, I'm sure she won't mind... And some of us need to vent a little, don't they?" There was a moment where Jaune knew that there was more subtext in the conversation than he knew, as Eve pulled out a cloth. "Alright hon, time to wear a blindfold. Hush hush Faunus stuff... But you're going to be the star of tonight's show..."

He felt his sight be taken from him, smelling her perfume, the scent lingering in his nostrils, even as he was led along. He could hear the rumour of people, even as he was guided along. "A human?" "Oh, he looks familiar..." "What're we having a human here for? I thought this was a Wrangle." "Ooh... I'd like to have a piece of that nice ass..." "Hush, Taurus would have your head for that comment."

"Sorry boys, I don't do beef! It's all in the horns, y'know?" Eve called out and he briefly wondered whether that was a comment directed to her or something else.

He was stopped and Eve let go of him, leaving him to fidget slightly. He was aware that there were people around, murmurs of the crowd around him enough to give him a scope... Many of them. A lot of them definitely not too friendly.

"Alright, brothers and sisters of the White Fang! Thank you for coming to this gathering tonight! As my lovely brother is still currently being a bitch to Great High Leader Khan, I've come to take control like the faithful bull bitch that I am!" Eve's voice sounded from a speaker or something to his right, even as he tried to get a good feel for the people around him, and he felt someone tear the blindfold away from him. Eve was standing on a makeshift platform, at the end of the room. Her body was raised over the masses of Faunus, all of them wearing their masks.

"Tonight... Yes, you may have heard it... It is a Pogrom! One human, fighting against all of you! Let me remind you guys that he needs to be ALIVE and FUNCTIONAL afterwards... so don't let me catch you trying to hurt him severely... Or else Khan will tear your spine out for giving her more work to do! Counting down from ten..." Eve's eyes seemed to light up, as her lips formed the numbers.

The Faunus changed in their positions, as they adopted a more aggressive stance, like the animals that they bore the traits from, their bodies adjusting to the position without even a shift in their nature, their eyes glinting with that interest, even as they looked right at him, like savage angry predators. _'No weapons... No leverage...'_

"Five..." Eve's counting down was enough, as he could see that manner in her stance, the confidence that she had in her words and in him. "Four..."

"Remember... No lethal blows. It's just you against him, no weapons, no other stuff... I'm sure he'll do the same." There was someone shouting that through the crowd, a brief relief, even though he knew that it would be hurting him... but he had chosen to follow Sienna's lead.

"Three... Two..." A pause, even as she grinned at him, a savage grin that could've looked great on Adam's face. "One... And get at him, boys and girls!"

The Faunus did a massive war cry, their voices forming a massive roar as they surged forward. He gritted his teeth.

' _This is going to suck...'_

The Haste Glyph formed below his feet as he threw himself to meet the tide. It was gone in a flash afterwards, yet the bright light had blinded some of the advancing horde.

* * *

Sienna Khan, High Leader of the White Fang, all-around bad-ass tiger babe with a darn fine behind and the uncanny ability to be able to balance upon a very fine tightrope between political disaster and racial tensions, was not pleased in the slightest, as she looked at the Scroll call that she was getting, sliding the call to the 'accept' button on the screen.

"Hey Sienna!" Eve's voice sounded remarkably chipper, as the sounds of fierce fighting behind her came around. "So... Eh..."

Sienna's frown increased. "You are at the Wrangle, yes? Are the initiates showing their worth yet?" There was a pause, Eve looking a little to the side, a flush on her features. That was the look of 'Eve Taurus fucked up something really important'.

"Eve Taurus..." Her voice was dreadful when audible, as her eyes glinted with the irritation.

"Hey... Hey!" Eve tried to protest, even as someone loudly shouted in the background 'Fucking dogpile on him! He's beating us with his size!' and then someone, definitely female, giving a shriek of 'He kicked me in the face!'

' _That definitely is the sound of a Wrangle going on...'_ There were rituals that you underwent when rising through the ranks. Beating up the people around you and showing your dominance was one of the ways how she had gained her own political standing. The toughest of the tough managed to survive and reach the positions of power. It was the law of the Faunus and it was to be obeyed.

Eve turned the screen towards the crowd of Faunus, who were gathering around one of the initiates. "I don't remember needing this many for a simple Wrangle..." Eve turned it away again, a flash of some bright light visible.

"Well... I decided to upgrade it to a Pogrom... Maybe?" Sienna's blood chilled, as her eyes narrowed.

"Exactly who needs to be punished to have near a hundred Faunus beat them up, Eve?" Her voice dripped with irritation, as she could already see a few of the tough ones of the lower level members signing up for such a thing, Eve's smile a little bashful.

"More like... two-hundred? I mean... He's got to prove that he's worthy of... us." The look that Eve gave her was enough to show that she really meant 'You', and that was...

' _Oh fucking hell...'_

She could see Eve do something like that. If Adam was a bad boy edge lord who seemed to be woe and skittles for all of his late teens, then Eve was definitely of the same cloth, with a different opinion on things but similar methods. "You..."

Her claws dug into her desk again, a look of anger on her face. "Are you telling me that you have Jaune facing a mob of two-hundred bloodthirsty Faunus right now? Are you subjecting him to a fucking Pogrom without weapons?"

Eve winced. That was as much an admission of guilt as it was... and worry filled her heart. Pogroms were dangerous things. A Wrangle was a test, but a Pogrom...

She remembered her own Pogrom for her status as second in command next to Ghira. A hundred Faunus, the best and brightest, against her. Ghira's own, to show his dominance over the lesser ones in an order-establishing moment, the followers knowing who to follow... And she growled audibly at her.

 _'_ _She's going to hurt my Jaune!'_

"Show me." She demanded, and Eve turned the camera to the fight. Sienna watched as Jaune moved like a practised dancer, his fists in motion, a flash of light below his feet, too indistinct to see, yet something that seemed to be boosting his speed.

Motions with his hands, driving the fists into the chest of one of the Faunus, his feet shifting his body just a moment to avoid a blow, a strike bouncing off his side, his Aura still intact, as it hadn't broken yet. She could spot several of the crowd limping to the side. "How many have been downed?"

"Thirty-five, High Leader Khan."

The voice of the Banesaw came from the side, Eve handing him her Scroll, the man's mask looking right back at her, emotionless and cool.

"The Human is doing well, as far as we can see."

She schooled her features in a stern look, as was expected of her, her face looking like it was carved from ice, raising an eyebrow. "I would hope so. I did not spend time on him in order for him to fail." There was a hint of definitiveness in her voice, as she knew that a Pogrom was important to dictate which person would advance towards the higher rungs of command, based on how long they lasted.

' _Do I...'_

She could give the order to leave it as it was. She had that power, yet it would be seen as a move in order to curry sympathy from the humans, something that her followers would not take kindly to. Her eyes glinted faintly, as she smirked, the 'terrifying Khan smirk', as some people called it, on her face.

"Join in as the final challenger. Test him." She said to the man, the Faunus nodding his head.

"As you wish, High Leader." There was no refusal. She had proven herself as their leader...

"Give me back to Cow Tits." She barked, the man handing the Scroll back to Taurus.

"You have SOME nerve to do this, Cow Tits." She wasn't pleased in the slightest, even as she watched that face, the whining no doubt coming from her in no time. "But... We will see what happens. As long as he is not too battered, we can spin this as a training exercise."

If someone were to snap a picture of this, it would make international news. Illegal Faunus human beating clubs, where Faunus could vent their frustrations against humanity... It'd be the news of the day and a very bad press package for her. _'He is...'_

She saw him work through the crowd, his face set in that look of determination. Something inside her nethers quivered, as his gaze was drawn to her, once looking at her direction, obviously because Eve was still there, the instigator of this test.

' _If he makes it through...'_

A shudder ran up her spine. A man who was able to bravely beat down two-hundred Faunus was respected. The respect that he meted out with his fists and feet was something that those defeated by him would know to show once the defeat had been confirmed.

' _Of course..._ '

He was no match for her... But for a moment, she was drawn back into the memory of her own Pogrom, fighting against the horde of a hundred and fifty Faunus, her weapon at her side, able to fight for the right to represent the Faunus, as the previous leader of the White Fang watched on.

His face drew her interest, and her left hand slid down between her legs.

 _'Fuck it...'_

This was much better than signing drafts of proposals and such bullshit...

That indomitable look on his face, which she could almost see directed right at her, like she were just a woman in his eyes. A strong man like him, with her talent...

Her tongue licked over her lips. _'Oh yes...'_ She could already see herself running her tongue over his sweat-slickened skin, the blood on her taste buds tasting like the victory that he had won for himself... The battle that laid ahead of her still.

"We will have words about your choice of 'date venues', Eve." Her voice was calm, even as her fingers started to work a little faster. "By all means... Allow me to see Jaune's Pogrom." There was no mocking tone in her voice, the name spoken as if it were to belong to an equal. She could respect strength and skill...

She was a Faunus, after all.

The strong led whilst the weak followed... And the tests were many once you were at the top.

' _I am not going to let myself be beaten in the game...'_

She was not a loser. She was Sienna Khan and she would get what she wanted, even if the object of her affections was currently beating up a slew of Faunus.

* * *

 **Another chapter... and yes, it's heavy on cow tits and Jaune fits. For the people curious about Jaune's issue with the whole reviving of Willow... I'd imagine that there's fairytales about what Salem has done spread around Remnant, telling everyone just how bad it is to revive the dead, to go against the will of the gods. It'd make someone get a complex about it.**

 **And because it wasn't clear from the way that it was written - No, Adam wasn't sexually assaulted by his girlfriend. It was consensual... He just doesn't like his sister strong-arming him, because she knows his weak spots. Eve deciding to visit Adam was both a split decision on her part as well as needing to check this girl out that Adam is dating. That he struggles... yeah, who WOULD want to be filmed telling a friend to go and take his sister out on a date. Adam is a lot less high strung, and genuinely happy... Into some really weird stuff now thanks to his girlfriend. Eve though... yeah, she eh... she's got issues. Adam and Eve have both got their problems, but where Eve is more forward, Adam is more likely to brood and be wickedly snarky and cold. He loves his sister, as she's the only one who looked after him, but yeah... She's got some warped values of decency.**

 **More Willow in the next chapter! The Belladinner has been shoved back a chapter because I am going to build it up a bit more. We can't have Kali strutting her stuff and embarrassing Sienna, Blake and her husband with her comments too early, right? Also going to work double-time on the next chapter, so that people can just go and read the reasons WHY there are a lot of sexual references and comments in this chapter. Most things can be explained, all I ask is for patience.**

 **Until next time...**

 **Leave a review! Wake me up at 3 in the morning with the ding sound!**


	26. Batterie

**Chapter 26: Batterie**

 **Enjoy! Blake, as far as I know, did not do porn. Yet. Some people in the dance of tigers, have some serious issues. It's life.**

* * *

Jaune limped a little as he finally got back to Beacon. The look that some of the people gave him had been concerned, yet he knew that it was his own burden to bear, even with how the events of the night had played out. It wasn't hard to think like that, even with how the world seemed to be functioning, the last few moments of the Pogrom coming to mind.

 _He ducked underneath a bear-like man's punch, feeling the stress of his body moving and shifting coming from his side, even as his body ached and throbbed, knowing that it was nearly over, the people who had been beaten down by him having taken the time to get out of the way, watching silently as he worked through the last few challengers._

 _It had been survival at the core, the ferocity with which the Faunus that he was up against fought against him holding him to a point where he was surprised to see himself still in such a good state. His aura hadn't broken yet, the bruises on his skin starting to grow, even as he delivered a punch to the sternum of the bear Faunus, turning around and giving Eve a look._

 _The woman was leaning against a wall, her sharp blue eyes meeting with his own as she stood there like a guardian angel, a vengeance-riddled demoness who was watching him, the Scroll in her hand enough. Whatever this Pogrom was, whatever it seemed to be… It was about power._

 _Sienna's face was visible on the Scroll, observing his actions. There was a look of calm on it, as her face seemed to be enraptured by the sight… and everything seemed to fade into a dull roar, as a fist hit him in the side of the head, his mind pushed right back into the state that was needed. "Oh no you don't!"_

 _His knee drove deep into the gut of the Faunus woman who'd slammed her fist against him, the dull 'oof-whah' sound that came from her mouth enough, as he noticed that there was a space opening up around him, their gazes judging and calm, even as they made space. He looked to see a tower of meat, muscle and bone walk towards him, a singular mask on his face, as a chant was being pulled up._

" _Banesaw, Banesaw, Banesaw, Banesaw, Banesaw!" The mouths of the Faunus chanted the name, whether it was a title or something else, he could see that the man was ready to do what he must. "I don't like you humans…" The man had said, as he rolled his shoulders. Audible muscle-pops were heard, even as he moved with deliberate intent, striding towards him, even with how the crowd seemed to pick up in fervour._

" _But I can respect you for lasting this long. On the order of Khan, I'm the final challenger." Something inside him changed at that moment, as the man moved. A glyph blazed to life below him, a remnant of the woman whose soul he had torn back into her body, a sign of his power, of his skill… of things that he should not know and yet knew. His fist hit the man's chest, a burly chest that was built out of muscle and bone, the audible 'crack-pop' enough to show that he'd broken something, as pain lanced through his fist._

" _That isn't going to work." The man's fingers had wrapped around his fist and he had been thrown, even as the chant picked up in volume._

 _It had been bloody. His Aura mended his body a little, yet even that had broken after a while of slugging it out with the man, the man ceding finally after he'd delivered a painful punch to the man's groin, one of the few surefire ways that most men wouldn't be able to retaliate much. With the ceding of the man's part in the Pogrom, Eve had spoken up._

" _And we have a winner, ladies and gentlemen! Now... Applause!" It had felt good, as the people gathered clapped, whoops and cheers and 'Well done, human!' and 'Good fight! Good fight!' came from the crowd, a blush settling on his face. He wasn't used to the praise, even as the huge man offered him support, the support needed as he felt his legs hurt._

" _What... exactly, did I do?" He asked, his voice a little throaty as he cleared his throat, well-aware that he had taken a few punches to sensitive places, Eve's smile enough, a dangerous one._

" _You fought off two-hundred Faunus, Hero boy... You've proven your place with the people." The Scroll's audio feed was turned on then, Sienna's voice coming from the speaker after Eve had finished that sentence, her voice still as calm and collected as it had been, although her cheeks were a little reddish, perhaps due to makeup or something._

" _You weren't a waste of time to train. Good. I expect to see more effort next time we meet each other." The calmness of her statement and the way that she looked at him was enough, even as the absolute silence that had fallen had registered with him. When Sienna spoke, all others were silent. Eve grinned at him, as she stepped forwards and gave a hug._

" _Our newest hero of the White Fang... A Human! Rejoice! We've got someone worth of our respect here, ladies and gentlemen!" The words were simple, powerful and the cheers that went up from the people who had been so intent on beating him up earlier were not just a small boost to his ego._

 _He could feel the burden shift a little off his shoulders. It was over now and he could go home. A good hot shower would work wonders for his system. It wasn't like he was totally pulverized, but it felt a little awkward. "So, eh... Does anyone know what time it is?" He asked, and was immediately met with several people answering._

" _Yeah, I should be heading back to Beacon for a good shower and stuff. It's been nice meeting with all of you, even though I've probably caused more bruises than any good feelings." There were murmurs of assent, murmurs of people dismissing it, stating that it was all according to the laws of the people and that it would be alright._

He passed by Professor Goodwitch, who gave him a curious look, raising an eyebrow yet not voicing the question that she'd wanted to ask about his dishevelled state. He had been delivered at the docks by a Faunus whose name was Gerald, a set of deer antlers that had been styled with engravings as some sort of cool thing, which he had commented on and seen the man perk up a little.

"Alright... Now to get a shower." He mumbled, as he slid his Scroll over the lock, pushing open the door and coming face to face with Pyrrha, whose eyes widened as she saw them.

"Oh my gosh, Jaune! Are you alright?" He grunted a little in response, which wasn't the best option, he supposed, yet there was nothing that he could do about it.

"I'm fine, just lemme get a shower." He mumbled, as he passed by her, the limp feeling even more pronounced now, as he sighed deeply. _'I don't know how Sienna does it...'_

Two-hundred Faunus that came at you with intent to pound you into a human-shaped bruise was more than he thought he could handle, yet it had been something of a challenge of sorts. The look on Eve's face had been observant and without any hidden motives, her eyes locked, right in that same manner that Adam gazed on him like he was some sort of creature that needed to be witnessed and dissected, like something interesting under a microscope, an interesting research subject...

"Who did this to you? If it was that brute Cardin again, I'll..." Pyrrha's eyes were angry, her face frowning, even as he tugged his clothing off, showing his back to her, the bruises undoubtedly already there, as he threw the shirt onto his bed, going for a fresh set of underwear, his head shaking.

' _They are my team...'_

"Faunus ritual of some sort. Think of it as a really big brawl, so yeah..." There was a sigh coming from him as he rolled his shoulders, the bruises already forming on his back. "Sienna was proud of me though." He knew that he had impressed her somewhat, if her words had been accurate enough.

The perspective about public face and respect that he had gleaned from Willow's memories was a refreshing change to show how people could act when they were tied by the ribbons of politics, the abilities that had to be arrayed in the proper way to present the right image something that not every politician had.

Sienna was a visionary, a woman who didn't stop until she had gotten what she deserved and what she thought her people deserved. It was a refreshing change, to see her like this... and he had gained the respect of the Faunus for surviving the pogrom.

The shower was warm as he stepped underneath it, and he could hear a faint click of the door as it shut, Pyrrha undoubtedly having been something of a guiding force. Ren and Nora were out, so it undoubtedly was something that she had done in order to guard him. _'She's such a nice girl.'_

He emerged ten minutes later refreshed and ready, spotting Pyrrha sitting on her bed, already dressed in her pyjamas. She looked up, a serious look on her face. "If you're being oppressed by that Khan woman..." She said, trying offer to help, a bark of laughter coming from his mouth as he imagined it. Sienna was nice and driven, not someone who would do horrible things to some human. She was better than that.

"No, this was something that Adam's sister cooked up, apparently it's some sort of cultural ritual where you've got to prove your martial might or something." She gave him a look and he shrugged. "I'm not a Faunus, I don't know how this stuff works."

The Scroll call sound came from his Scroll, his hand seizing it and unlocking the screen and then pulling himself into his bed, Sienna's face appearing on the screen. As he didn't wear his ear buds for the Scroll, her voice was clear enough through the room.

"Are you alright?" She sounded more than a little worried, her eyes and expression showing her care, even as he grinned.

"Little battered, but I should be fine. That Banesaw dude was really tough." There was a sound in the background, someone asking 'Is that Jaune?' and he could see Willow stretched out on a couch, an ice-pack on her forehead, as she looked a little weary.

"Yes, it's Jaune. Don't worry, I'm just checking up on him." The concern in her tone was more human than he had thought, as she looked at him again after casting a look at her friend, giving a smile to the woman in return.

"You've survived a Pogrom. That makes you a brother to the Fang." There was a pause, as if she wanted him to respond, a frustrated little sigh coming from her mouth, obviously enough to make her sound a little frustrated.

"That means... what? Adam already calls me his brother and his sister is... a bit weird."

The woman sighed deeply, shaking her head, a snarl coming from her mouth, even as she changed her manner of seating a little. "You shouldn't have been subjected to that. Two-hundred Faunus is a large challenge, even for the strongest of men. Only the High Leader position requires over 150 Faunus at once and for a whole two-hundred, unarmed..."

"Hey, I'll heal. They didn't hurt me too much, Eve said to be gentle with me." There was a scowl on Sienna's face as she looked him right in the eye, her lips about to part, but she seemed to think better.

"Cow tits would say that, yeah... Fuck her and her whole brother complex... Eugh." The woman shook her head, Pyrrha giving him a look from the corner of his gaze, her eyebrow raised. "Whatever, I don't care about that. No broken limbs, I hope?"

"I'm fine. Eve even offered me to star in a re-enactment of the Dock fight. Her boss contacted me and said that we'd just need to offer team RWBY a chance."

Seeing Sienna splutter a little and look off to the side as Willow asked something, the Faunus giving a little hiss in return.

"I mean, it's that she asked and mom wouldn't mind a bit of extra money... How hard can it be." Willow's laughter in the background seemed to annoy Sienna, that fiery look on her face turning vicious.

'Very hard, Jaune. By all means, make it hard for us!' Willow commented in the background.

"Before you sign any contract, I will read it through first." Sienna said, her voice brooking no argument. "Even if certain parties here seem to be more or less convinced of their own right to certain things, I will not see you cheated."

' _She cares for me, in her own way.'_

He smiled, and she stiffened. There was a sharp inhale coming from her, as she looked at him, an expression that was near-nervousness coming to her features. "For..."

The woman's sentence trailed off as she took a deep breath. He could see that Willow was approaching her from the side, Sienna also noticing, in the way that her ears angled back to the direction where Willow was coming from. "How are you doing, Jaune?"

Willow's voice sent a shudder going through his body as he saw her, the modest dress that she wore not as decadent as the other ones that she had dressed in, her eyes looking at him with a desire lurking in them, the knowledge that he had brought her back still inside his mind. "Better, now that I see the two of you."

Willow smiled, a warm smile that made her face light up, Sienna's gaze turning to her, then back to her, Willow's hands on Sienna's shoulders. "I should be visiting Beacon tomorrow. I need to speak with my daughters."

He looked at her. "Winter is here too?" The short nod from her was enough, the image of a young girl sitting on her lap as she combed the long white hair with a finely made brush, humming the soft Atlesian Accords to the girl.

"Have you tested out your rifle yet?" He shook his head, as it hadn't really come up yet. It was still in its case, within the locker that he had, and he knew that it would need to be broken in first to check whether it would be something for him.

"Not yet, I've barely had a chance since..." His face fell as he remembered her face during that moment. Sienna and Willow saw it, and Willow spoke up.

"It wasn't your fault, Jaune. You saved my life and I am so grateful for that." There was a soft sound from Sienna's throat, as if she wished to add something for that, her eyes looking right at him with understanding, care and some emotion that he couldn't quite pin down yet.

"I... I broke the rules. I didn't..." He started, even as Willow took the Scroll, her face looking at him.

"You saved my life. You brought me back and you gave me something that was wonderful. My daughters would be without a mother if it wasn't for you." Her voice was stern, her eyes passionate, tears welling up in them.

"I would be dead if you hadn't come when I needed you, Jaune. I may still be married, but if I wasn't..." The admission was dangerous. She was running on emotions. He was running on emotions too now.

"I care for you too. I can remember... I can remember their birthday parties. I can remember how they smiled when they were young." The memories confirmed it. Willow smiled softly at him. "It will take some time to sort things out and... I don't want you to ruin yourself for someone like me."

Willow's face seemed to be set in that manner that showed that her thoughts were in a different place right now, even as the guilt flashed through him.

 _'I've done something like in the stories... The witch asking for her lover back, only to be denied by the evil dragon...'_

"It's okay." Pyrrha's voice came from close by, even as she laid a hand on her shoulder, looking at the Scroll in his hands and meeting the gaze of Willow, surprise flickering on her face. "Are you..."

"Willow Schnee, a pleasure." The woman smiled in that ingenious way that she did. "Allow me to say that if you breathe a word of this conversation to someone else, there will be consequences." There was a deadly tone to Willow's voice and he knew that she had switched over to 'bad-ass Schnee Dust Company CEO mode'.

"You don't have to fear anything like that from me." Pyrrha said quickly, as she held him a little tighter. "Jaune is... he's very important to a lot of us." There was definitely something that she wasn't saying, if the blush on her cheeks and the looking away was any indication. Willow and Sienna both shared a look before coming to a conclusion.

"He's very important to the both of us too." Willow said, Sienna's gaze turning heated as the sound cut off suddenly, Sienna's mouth moving swiftly, as they started to talk to each other in quick motions, the Scroll set down on the table. Their faces looked emotional, as the discussion was quick, with some gestures, a scandalized look on Sienna's face enough to show that smug smirk on Willow's.

"So, they are... friendly, right?" Pyrrha asked, Jaune nodding once.

"Best friends, sort of. They bonded over a shared attraction to alcohol or something like that. I think that Kali said that it was that they liked 'the same thing' but she evaded the subject of what it was..."

Pyrrha's look was pitying, even as she sighed. "I like you, Jaune. You're the best team leader that I could wish for."

"What?" Sienna's sharp voice came from the speaker again, Willow giving her a smack to the back of her head, seemingly without a great deal of force behind it, as she hissed an 'I told you to!' to her friend.

"You're the best team leader I could wish for and I like you." His eyes went wide.

 _'Oh gods...'_

She blushed, giving him the impression that she was seriously affected by the comment, even as her eyes turned away from him. "It's not... it's not often that someone just sees me as Pyrrha, rather than 'the Invincible Girl'. I'm... I'm not the most social at times, even though I'm forced to be..." There was a pause, and he could feel in his heart that he should answer.

"I'm sorry, but I just... I don't feel the same way. You're a great friend and... and probably, we could've been together if I hadn't met that person but... I just see you as a friend. I see Nora as a friend too, even if she's a little forward and teasing me all the time." Pyrrha's lip quivered, even as her green eyes grew moist, a deep breath given, his Scroll put down.

"It's... it's fine." She said, her voice hollow, as the tears started to come. It was a slow progression, as they started to leak more from her eyes, a sob coming from her mouth as she did, her body angled forward, even with the sobs starting to come even more frequent.

"It's not fair..."

Pyrrha moaned the words, even as he held her, the own whimsical mood of depression lifted, as he empathized with her. He couldn't see her in the way that she wanted him to see her... He felt attraction on some level to her, yet he couldn't...

"It never is." He glanced at Sienna and Willow, two of the women who had torn open the cage of his heart, the older woman looking at him, whispering something in Sienna's ear that was more or less unheard, the Faunus woman looking at him with a stone-like expression on her face.

"I just... I can't see you as more than a good friend. I don't know but... Perhaps in another life."There was a softness to his voice, as he felt tears coming from his own eyes. Why did love have to be so hard?

He couldn't really know whether he could love Willow... Whether the feelings were real or whether Willow's own emotions were influencing him. It was all such a mess. It was...

Sienna was a dedicated woman, one who really fought for her cause, who made sure that she was able to fight and fight and then fight some more until she could see the results. A woman who would be a great girlfriend, yet...

Willow was like a storm of passion, care and delight, wrapped into a single package. Sultry and seductive, able to get him to pop a boner like it was not her style... and yet so gentle and caring.

"Perhaps..." She said, before she leaned up and kissed him on the lips.

Electricity seemed to flicker between the two of them, as her lips greedily devoured his own, her hands pressing him against the bed, even as her cheeks flushed.

"I want you."

She hissed, even as she held his hands there, her eyes flush with the understanding, yearning and craving, yet he knew that it wouldn't work, even as she pressed another kiss to his lips, a desperate measure for her to take what she desired.

"Pyrrha... No." Her lip quivered and more tears came from her eyes. "I love you like a friend and sister... Let's not... do this, alright? You, Ren and Nora, are my team."

"If you want a foursome with me and Sienna, it's okay! I don't mind making a chocolate-vanilla-strawberry sundae!" Willow sounded enthusiastic from the Scroll's side, even as Sienna made a strangled sound that didn't sound healthy, the scandalized 'WILLOW!' that came from her mouth loud enough to show her frustration with her friend's antics.

"I'd..." She flushed, even as she realized that she was pinning him there to the bed. "I'm... I'm sorry." She said, visibly calming down. Her eyes glinted as they looked away from him, as a flush crept on her face.

"Jaune, listen." Sienna's voice cut through the air, even as Pyrrha turned her head, regarding the Faunus Rights Movement leader, who was unseen.

"You're okay in my books. You're... you're strong, and I like the strong people in this world." Willow made some comment that was just too faint to hear, even as Sienna audibly snarled. "No, I will NOT wear that."

"What I'm getting at is... If you need my help, I'll help. Same as with Willow, she's... Willing." There was a soft snicker in the background, as Willow found that amusing for some reason. "You've been a decent student. Not great, your coordination sucks for everything aside from dancing, but you've been through a lot and... I can respect that."

It took a lot for her to say that, he figured, as the woman had been grudging in her respect and her actions, Willow now someone that she could trust and see as a friend. Willow herself wasn't too shabby with her own praise for him, as she often had stated that she wished to do things with him in the bedroom that drew his attention... and his interest.

"We would like it if you didn't try to molest Jaune, though." The sterner tone of Willow Schnee was easily cutting through Pyrrha's emotional issues, as the girl looked down at him, her eyes wide. "We know that he looks good and the like, but we'd like to have him untouched. We'd like to break the seal, as it was."

"Speak for yourself!" Sienna said, clearly refuting the challenge that Willow had made, and he felt something inside him swell, as he pushed against Pyrrha, his muscles aching as he did so.

"Enough, Pyrrha. Not... not now, alright? I'm tired, bruised and a little tender, and..." She flushed a little, getting off him immediately, his stomach feeling the leftover bruises that had been there, a pain rolling through his lower gut as he felt the burn inside him, his eyes closing for a moment, hearing Pyrrha get up and off the bed.

It was enough for him, knowing that she was ready to listen to his commands. He opened his eyes, looking at her as she walked to her bed, her eyes still a little red, giving him a sad look, even as he grabbed his Scroll again, Sienna clearing her throat, looking a little less ruffled than before.

"I will be touching you." She paused, parsing through the statement and then groaning. "I will be in touch with you."

He smirked at her. "Guess I'm just irresistible for a certain type of woman, aren't I?" It was a tease that Willow would have said, and the effect on Sienna was magnificent to behold. A deep red colour blossomed on her face, as she took a deep breath and then released it. "I knew what you mean, Sienna." He saw her facepalm and groan something inaudible for the microphone to catch, even as the call disconnected.

* * *

"I fucked up." She mumbled, Willow laughing in the background, the woman's rich laughter sounding like applause to the way to that things had gone, the fuck-up that she'd made during her phrasing. Stating her intent...

' _I feel like a teen again, when I had a crush on Ghira, despite his wife being around...'_

It had been a moment where there was a sign in her heart that she would not need to keep the facade up anymore. The sight of the young man battering against the man known as the Banesaw, the hulking Faunus who had been a hardliner since day one, whose body was tough like iron and whose muscles moved, and... he had won.

The contest of strength was not something that Jaune would win, he did not have the build for it, yet with craftiness, he won, his body moving and defeating a man who was twice his size and bigger and broader in build, the Glyph flashing below his feet.

It had been a moment when she had finally reached that moment of no return. Seeing him the victor, battered and beaten...

' _A whole two hundred Faunus...'_

It was a sight that she could enjoy, the young man still not able to drink, yet there was that undeniable fire within her body that had been lit by the way that he had acted, by the power that he had shown to them.

Faunus, to their core, knew how the society worked between them. Those with power carved out their own little niche, their position under no strain as long as they could defend it. A certain poise, a certain mannerism and then you had a ruler, a king, a man or woman who took the reins and led the herd.

She herself was one of the few people who had held enough sway amongst the Faunus, working to bring forth a better future... And she knew that the power inside her was enough to beat down every single challenger or Pogrom that could be organized. There was nothing but the merit of one's own deeds, a prideful feeling of being the one who could lead and who was strong enough to lead.

' _He is human but...'_

He had proven himself. A Pogrom of that size would have taken out an ordinary Huntsman, yet his Semblance had won the day... Glyphs. Schnee Glyphs, and he had used them to boost his speed. It would go against everything that the White Fang had fought against to allow someone like that the respect... if she had still not met Willow, had made Jaune's acquaintance and fallen for him.

It was undeniable now for her... She was in love.

Sienna Khan was in love and she didn't know why save for the feeling that it gave her, the knowledge that she would not be looked upon as favourably if people found out... and she cared not one whit about it anymore.

"Are you... alright?" Willow's voice was soft, even as a soft sob came from Sienna's mouth, knowing not how to tell her friend how she felt, how stressful this all was for her.

In one way, she did not want to give up her White Fang, to make sure that the Faunus were no longer oppressed... To get the respect that she had been wanting and craving for years for her people. A creed higher than her own, one that had called to arms hundreds and hundreds of young Faunus who were not content to let the old guard speak of peace and words... Who wished to fight.

In another, she could not deny the feelings she felt. She was twenty-nine now and she knew that she would need to find a partner, a mate... someone with whom she could found a family... A young man whose smile lit her heart ablaze and whose attitude lit the fire of desire within her, a smile that was enough to weaken her knees and make her feel helpless and weak, like a teenager with hopes and fancies.

' _What... what do I do?'_

"Sienna?" Willow's voice was insistent, even as the woman adopted a matured voice, her voice warm and Sienna turned her head, feeling lost.

"I don't know what to do anymore..." She said, voice trembling slightly as she realized that she was caught between two different views. In one, she would be able to cast aside these feelings and be the High Leader that the White Fang needed, to spring forth a glorious age where Humanity would KNOW that Faunus were to be feared and rightfully so...

The other had her happy and married, because he _would_ marry her, no matter what, raising the children that they would make together, no matter what the public said about the relationship or what the media would say. A huntsman and a political bastion of strength, together as husband and wife.

She would learn how to cook more than just instant meals, she would be a dutiful wife for her husband and by the gods, she would be making sure that there would be happiness in his life, no matter whether she had to personally assassinate every two-bit bastard who would want to kill her husband or herself or the children.

' _A mother and wife... Or the same life that I have been living...'_

"The right choice is often the one that comes to mind first. You can't fight against what you want." The advice sounded so generic that she snorted, knowing that the situation was even more intricate than Willow even knew.

' _They would call me a race traitor...'_

She was Sienna Khan. She had fought, bled and killed for the equality that they all deserved. If they called her that...

"Woah, easy..."

Her claws had dug another groove into the top of her desk, her eyes looking at the long scratches, growling deep in her throat as she knew that whoever would call her something like that better invest in life insurance.

"I'm going to get Jaune." She said to Willow, the woman giving a look that was half-challenge, even as she smirked teasingly at her. Sienna could see a similarity between Kali and Willow now, in the manner that they approached how they loved.

"Better spit it out before I'm going to make my play, Kitty." Her friend tapped her nose, leaving her to frown. "That's a good look..."

"You wouldn't..." She hissed, Willow's face smiling, even as Willow leaned forwards, her tongue licking over red lips.

"Oh, I would... Trust me, where there is a weakness... I hit it. If you don't make your move... poof." The glint in Willow's eyes was enough, even as she looked right into Sienna's own. "You'll get to see the proof of it yourself... I'll send you a little clip of myself with him..." The threat was there, the woman, powerful in the art of Lien and Dust, moving back a little. There was friendship between them, a shared love for one man, yet she had not the courage to speak up about it...

She was weak... She could hold speeches for hours, incite the people into taking their life in their hands, deliver a wonderfully crafted political rhetoric that would dazzle many of the Councillors of any of the Kingdoms save for Atlas... and she could not admit to the man she liked that she loved him, that she felt the stirrings of her heart that told her to claim him.

' _Why... Why did I start to fall in love?'_

She doubted that it was something rational... Something inside her had just snapped into place, even though she had hardly known the young man for more than seven months...

If Willow challenged her...

Her eyes met her friend's cool blue ones, the challenge there. Her hand extended to her, looking right in those eyes.

"Challenge accepted." She said, grinning.

She would get her man before Willow could get her talons in him. The problem was finding time... yet she knew her friend's schedule almost as well as her friend knew it. _'I can capitalize on the dinner...'_

She smiled, the vicious smile of Sienna Khan, ass-kicker of the highest order. The door opened then and Eve entered, looking at the two of them. Willow turned her head to regard her, even as Sienna felt the flare of anger inside her rise.

"Cow tits... We're going to spar. You're not going to get out from this." There was a fierceness in her voice as she locked gaze with Eve Taurus, the woman swallowing heavily as she saw the look in her eyes. Sienna felt the anger burn once more, her hand not even stopping as it grabbed the bovine Faunus' arm, dragging her along.

"I'll be back." She said to Willow.

She had a cow to educate on proper dating spots and etiquette.

' _If she thinks she can subvert my authority... She's in for a surprise.'_

Sienna Khan was not going to let some stupid cow get HER man in trouble and hurt without getting her pound of flesh and retribution.

"I just- Hey, you're tearing the shirt, you're tearing my shirt!" Eve's complaints could wait. A shirt was easier to replace than a man.

* * *

She watched with some amusement as Sienna physically dragged the busty cow Faunus out of the room, her own amusement at the way that Sienna had grown flustered enough to entertain herself, even if the need for such a handling of things had been a mixture of things that had brought the relationship between the two of them to a different level.

She supposed that she would be better off getting some things taken care of, before the competition would get to doing such things... Her eyes looked at Sienna's Scroll, debating whether it would be alright to go looking through it before deciding otherwise. _'I shouldn't do such a thing to my friend.'_

She cared for Sienna, in her own way. They had been adversaries for a while, companions for a shorter period of time and even friends and rivals in the arena of love, but... it was more than just the feeling of that young man to her. It was the feeling of sharing something with him, the feeling of knowing how he acted, how he felt, how he... was.

' _Jaune Arc... Bless your heart, your kind and warm heart.'_

She pulled her own Scroll out, getting up from her seat and switching to Sienna's, which was more comfortable and cushioned. Tapping the code into the unlock feature, an extra measure in order to ensure that nobody gained access to the Scroll. Pushing through the features of the Scroll, she came to the folder that housed most of the 'special project' items, the face of a certain Cinder Fall coming to her eyes.

' _You're one hell of a missy, Miss Fall... If you think that you can just try to assassinate my friend...'_

There had been no proof about the happenings around Sienna, the rifle that had been used to take the shot nowhere to be found from the trajectory, yet there was the undeniable change that had come about with that day.

She remembered that horribly weak feeling as she laid with a man, bawling and sobbing, the emotions running so high that she hid nothing from him, not a single shred of her own doubts to be hid from him and he had... he had understood her.

She had teased him, she had been a horrible seductress, yet he had rebuffed her advances. She had envied Sienna for a flash, suspecting that more had to be between them yet... Sienna had the burden of being a Faunus in a world where humans and Faunus did not live together.

With a single push... With a single little push, she could have taken his heart, left Sienna in the dust... Be the cool and icy industrialist that her husband was, that her family had the reputation of being... Yet she hadn't.

He was still unspoiled by a woman, as far as she could glean from his memories. The understanding of her own situation, of her own reasons to drink, he had gleaned from her... yet the knowledge that she knew now about him brought... feelings.

Her heart had bled as she knew that she should be there for him, that she should hold his hand, guided to his bed, fall onto it with him holding her in his arms and just fuck, like an animal in heat, like he contained the gods-given nectar that was needed to produce more seeds for the future, to hear him moan her name and to know that whatever he decided, it would be right.

A man to care for, a man who would need her to be there for him as a support... Weak and tender feelings that had let her heart skip a beat, that had made her feel weak and frail and sensual and strong and all sorts of horrible emotional little feelings, just because she was with him and she _needed_ it.

"Jaune..." Her voice was barely higher than a whisper as she saw the droplets of liquid splatter onto the screen of her Scroll, her nose sniffing, the clogging of her nose a reminder of how she felt, even as she yearned and craved to be loved.

The face of the woman known as Cinder Fall stared back at her, impassive, the picture taken from the official Haven database through a channel that she hardly knew. _'She means to upset the balance in the world...'_

Her Jaune, another victim. The mourning process, as she grew colder. Knowing that she should not appear at the funeral, due to the links that might have been made...

' _That won't happen if I have a say in it!'_

Her hand hit the table, the grooves dug into it by Sienna's claws feeling under the delicate hand, as she glared at the image of the woman. _'So you want to be a little Nerodicus Atlas, right...'_

' _Well... I guess it is time to play MY hand.'_ The fingers brushed over the button, pressing it once.

 **Call: Connecting.**

"This is Specialist Schnee speaking, what can I-" Her daughter's voice was soft as she spoke, obviously still weary from being roused from her sleep, the time not late enough, yet she knew the routine of the military.

"Winter."

Her voice was soft as well, with the definite edge that it always had when she spoke with her daughters about a pressing subject. "You are located in Vale, yes?" It was not a conversation, it was more of an order, her own emotions burning in her mind as she waited for the response.

"Yes, Mother, I-"

Willow took a deep breath, as she cleared her throat afterwards.

"You have not visited me once."

She kept the hurt out of her voice with effort, knowing that the subject was raw. Weiss still talked to her... and Winter did not. The only reason that she had the private Scroll number for her daughter was for emergencies and because General Ironwood had passed along the number to her, her mind firming up.

"I... I have been busy, Mother." The lie was something that she would tolerate, if she had still been the drunkard who passed her days with the bottle, an apathetic 'ah, I see... I guess it won't be time for a visit' having been the standard answer... had she bothered.

"Beacon Academy, tomorrow. In the afternoon, after the classes are done for the students." The words were easy to speak, as her eyes looked to see the video feed activate, a tired-looking daughter giving her a look.

"Mother, I really cannot take leave so easily just to meet with you and Weiss." Willow's eyes narrowed, yet she did not activate her own camera. Her fingers ran through her hair, even as she huffed.

"Of course you can. Allow me to arrange for it." The fingers tapped onto the call, shoving it to the wait queue and calling the number that belonged to the General, her fingers tapping in the four-digit code that allowed priority access, a thing that the man had spoken of during one of their meetings upon Winter's ascension to the Specialists.

"Miss Schnee, a surprise to hear from you." The general's voice sounded a little tired, as the hour was late. Undoubtedly due to the way that the bags under his eyes were there, there was much work relating to the Vytal Festival heaped on his plate.

"What may I be able to assist you with?"

"I would like to request my daughter to attend a meeting at Beacon Academy during tomorrow's afternoon." The formal words were something that she had practised before, yet her courage egged her on without a care for the fallout.

"I do not think I can easily allow one of my Specialists some time off, there are regulations and such for the request of leave." The man spoke calmly, even as Willow gave a soft sigh.

"Considering that there are some serious issues that have come up due to certain circumstances which need to be discussed with my daughters... I would like to request it." The man's video feed came on, the serious look on his face enough, Professor Ozpin located in the background, currently in the process of drinking his coffee.

"I would like to know the specific reason for such a request, Miss Schnee." The smile on her face was terrible to behold. It was a pity that she hadn't turned on her camera.

"A decision that needs to be discussed with the two of them as the eldest children. Considering Winter is a Specialist in the armed forces and Weiss is the primary heir to the company, it is best to communicate with both in order to ensure a smooth acceptance of the new information that has come to light." It was as good an excuse as anything, the man giving a faint little hum, as he looked at her with a stern look. _'You're not as good at this as you think you are, James Ironwood.'_

"Ah... That is indeed a valid reason." Willow smirked. Money made the world go round and there was no small amount of money invested into the military defence of Atlas. "Will that be all, Miss Schnee?"

Her eyes spotted the Headmaster, and she remembered something that Jaune had briefly mentioned in their communication. If the Headmaster had shown an interest... Well, she could play the game just as well. "Headmaster Ozpin, thank you for allowing me to take the General's time. I know that your time must be valuable, with the organisation for the Vytal festival to be handled." The man smiled and nodded, the General's face showing some curiosity.

"If a mother desires to see her children, I can only bend to her desire. I do hope you are feeling better, Miss Schnee, I have heard from a personal source that you had taken ill." She gave a snort that was fairly audible.

' _If you call dying 'taking ill', I indeed did.'_

"Never better. It was just what the doctor ordered. A good few days of rest was just what was needed." The faint pride that she had felt once the doctor had declared her to be 'healthy and well' for a twenty-nine-year-old, which meant that her body had been affected by the... whatever Jaune had done. Her Glyphs could delay time through the use of Dust, her father had told her so, a faint smile on her lips as she remembered the contact that she had with Jaune... that indelible sense of being there with him never leaving.

"That is good to hear." There was no need to continue, as she gave a little sound of understanding. "Have a very pleasant evening, Miss Schnee." The Headmaster said, before the General's face appeared once more.

"I will ensure that Specialist Schnee shall be available for the afternoon. Have a good evening, Mrs. Schnee." The man shut the connection off and she pushed Winter to the forefront of the conversation again, the feed returning to audio-only once again.

"Mother... You know my feelings." Willow grit her teeth. The conversation was veering into dangerous grounds once more, knowing that it would be hardly civil between her and her daughter.

"We need to talk, Winter. Just the three of us together." Her voice was cool and calm, sterner than she had before.

"The only reason you could have to go to the effort of actually getting Weiss and myself in the same room would be if you were going to announce that we're all going on a retreat in order to 'connect' again, Mother." The spite in her daughter's voice was enough, even as she realized that Winter had still not forgiven her for her slight.

"Winter, please, I-" The look on her daughter's face was fierce, even as the dishevelled look on her face was replaced by anger.

"Another attempt at getting my favour? Weiss doesn't want to talk to you, Mother. Why do you think I would be willing to... and you'd even go so far as to ask my commanding officer to get leave so you can do whatever harebrained thing you've got cooked up... What's it going to be? A weekend at the Valean Spa, getting to watch you gag on a bottle like you're some professional drinker?" Winter's voice grew heated, anger clouding her eyes, the calm rational side of things working, even as Willow firmed up.

"What'll you do with Weiss? Another lame dinner, trying to 'reconnect' and act like a mother shouldn't?" The tone that Winter used was horrible, she knew that she had been unable to connect with them but...

"We'll discuss that at Beacon. I will have Olav accompany me." There was a moment of hesitation in her voice, as she took a deep breath. _'Time to make it right again, Willow... This could be a new start.'_

"And what are you going to do, Mother? Take Weiss from reaching her dream as a Huntress? Are you going to throw around the money Father earns?" The voice of her daughter was heated with that easy anger, as her eyes glowed faintly with the natural burst of angry feelings that she had evoked.

"I will see you tomorrow." She said, pausing for a moment. Her daughter's face was cold, just as her son's face was when he was dissatisfied.

"Good night, Wi-" The call shut down, her daughter having disconnected the call, Willow's lips pressing tightly together.

 _'They... they hate me.'_

She braced her elbows on the desk, her head falling in the grip, even as she shuddered. _'No... I can't let emotions get the best of me...'_

She was strong. She was a woman who had a new lease on life and whilst her daughters would object... There was still a hope in her heart that they would come back to her.

' _I won't be letting them go.'_ There was a definite need inside her now, as she looked at the screen of her Scroll for a while, the glare reflected on one of the shiny little trinkets that Sienna had set aside, the door opening up and the personal assistant walked into the room, raising an eyebrow at her presence behind the desk. "High Leader Khan has instructed that I offer you some refreshments whilst she is busy educating Miss Taurus in the proper etiquette."

Willow gave a moderate smile to the woman as a cup of tea was set on the desk, the woman no doubt thinking her odd for sitting in Sienna's chair, yet there was much more to do. "Thank you." She said, the regal mask slipping onto her face immediately, the woman merely giving a soft nod.

"She will be back again in half an hour, or so she claims. Please... do vacate the seat. It is impolite to take the High Leader's seat." Willow had her own thoughts about that, yet it was noted that Sienna dominated the seat, never really allowing her to sit upon it, as if it were some sort of special throne of a kind.

"Thank you for the notice." The woman shut the door behind hear, leaving Willow to muse on the importance of tomorrow's meeting.

It would all work out eventually, she hoped.

She was going to do her best.

* * *

He felt the faint movement of his covers enough, the soft little gasp and groan that were supposedly quiet, his eyes opening as he looked around the darkened room, his mind slowly rousing to full alertness. He felt a little constrained, noticing that his hands had been tied to the bedposts, his body awkwardly spread.

Hands not his own tugged at the onesie that he wore, the zipper sliding open slowly with a muffled sound. He caught a glimpse of a shorter form crouched on the side of his bed, the moonlight casting a shadow over the features, the short hair and the smell of sweetness mingling with the familiar scent of powdered Dust.

' _Is that...'_

The hands jerked his onesie open, brushing over his abdomen. He didn't flinch, keeping his muscles relaxed, trying to figure out where the night-time visitor was going to go with such an action. He wondered as well why he was tied down, without the ability to move.

"Stop it, Nora."

She looked up at him, skittishly looking at him, her eyes fierce as she shook her head.

"No. I don't want you to go."

The words were claiming, possessive, needy of something that he had an inkling of knowledge about.

"You will leave us if we don't love you enough. You matter to us more than you think, Jaune... You're..." Her hand brushed through her hair, even as her body raised a little. There was no bra in sight, pale peaks crowned with nubs, her eyes on him. It was obvious to him that she had decided to ditch clothing for now.

"You're not allowed to die. Nope, I won't allow it... So... So just allow me and we'll all be happy together."

He took a deep breath, unsure of the words that he should say.

Her hands brushed over his stomach again, laying upon his groin.

"You're not allowed to leave us."

* * *

 **And thus I look forward to another flood of reviews that comes... Yeah. Issues. Nora's got them. Willow's got em. Sienna's got em.**

 **Pyrrha's got... yeah, she got rejected before she even offered. Doesn't stop her from being a good girl and sucking up and supporting her Jaune though!**

 **Next time (Next week), Willow goes to Beacon Academy! Some Schnee Dramatics... Oh, and Abel Sephaos? Maybe. I need to find time to sleep first (I'm at 2 hours a night most nights.)**

 **As for the 420** **th** **reviewer, who seems convinced I will delete their review... yeah, don't rage too much. Bad for your health, but I'll try better.**

 **Das Wolfgarde, Chapter 25 was setup for more stuff... So continue to enjoy it and bear with my horrid English writing skills. It'd probably be better if I let someone beta read it, but alas... I doubt people can keep up with going through 30-page documents that get sent every 4-5 days. Thank you for the review!**

 **And to you all – Thank you for supporting me! I'll try to make it a great story!**

Extra short scene! This is just a what-if... and isn't intended to be taken in-universe serious. Just something that popped in my head.

There was not a lot of thought put into the affair, even as the announcer stepped up on the stage. A dissatisfied look came to her face as she noticed that for all the preparations that had been done, the lame cap on the man's head was still lame... and the whole music was stale and repetitive.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen! We've got the leader of the White Fang here for our Awesome Rap Battle of Disstory! A challenge in which both contestants attempt to seriously diss their opponent!"

The screen behind them blazed to life with a sheen, her face appearing below stylized 'Sienna Khan – White Fang High Leader' letters, the image from one of her speeches. "So... I'm here to verbally eviscerate someone... right?"

"That's right! Now introducing... Your opponent! From the hoary lands of Atlas, dining and dashing in style whilst enjoying a drink or two... Willow Schnee!" There was a pause as the image of the woman, dressed in a similar garb as to the Atlesian upper crust's military uniform, appeared on the screen, Willow herself appearing in a rather modest suit, similar in style to her own.

"I... see." The look between them was for a moment. The game was on again. "I have been brought here to destroy you with verbiage, pussycat... What are the rules?"

The elegant manner of speech that the woman busied seemed not to delay the announcer, even with his eyes glinting with amusement. "One of the two goes first in the diss... and the second one goes second! Remember... It must be a GOOD one. Don't be lame, I-Schnee lady."

The faint curling of the lip into a grin was enough, even as music started, a simple beat that held some style. "Alright... In one... two... three..."

Sienna stepped to the fore, a microphone put into her hands by the announcer, testing the sound with a little smack of the lips, the audible smack enough that it made the speakers pop a little, even as she grinned, looking right into her friend's eyes.

"Hi, my name's Sienna Khan,  
bad-ass leader of the Fang,  
Ensuring that your little snowy cunt won't land,  
Near my people, to work that Dust from the sand.  
A busty-titted hoe, that's what you are,  
Exploiting my people without a single care,  
Down in Mantle's mines to get that Dust,  
You better watch out or that tower's gonna be bust,  
Just know that when it comes down to things,  
I've still got more pussy than you've got flings.  
Call me Khan, the real woman,  
Going to beat your pasty white ass and steal your next man."

The expression on Willow's face barely changed, the musical beat tapering off, even as Sienna held out the microphone, her eyes blazing with that challenge, the pale blue eyes meeting that gaze with a ferocity hiding within, even as the announcer spoke up again. "A sizzling diss... And how will the woman who's been challenged respond?"

Willow grinned. A shark-like grin, at the least.

"You may mine my Dust, so you better get down the mine,  
Because when you're broken in, you'll just be a worker, five to nine,  
I'm the fucking Co-CEO of the SDC,  
Better call me Willow S.C.H-Nee,  
I don't think you're a tiger Faunus at all,  
Because all I see is some tame pussy.  
When I'm taking that man off your hands,  
Those of his are going down my pants,  
Beware yourself, little tiger hussy,  
Because this Schnee's Dust mine's gonna get gushy.  
You better work hard to destroy my cred,  
because that pussy of yours looks better, bred."

There was a moment of silence, as the beat suddenly stopped, Willow giving a smug little grin, raising her head. "Why... This is pretty amusing."

"I... see. It's my turn now, right?" Sienna said, Willow looking at the announcer, who adjusted his cap a little. Silly little thing.

"Why... yes it is." The man was obviously a little weirded out by the terminology, yet Sienna took it as a challenge, looking right in the eyes of her friend and grinning.

"If my pussy's getting bred, would getting yours too be mean,

Why don't you stop being such a racist drama queen?  
If you want some of Khan, you better be a man,  
This tiger is lit, so yeah... fuck your fam.  
That husband of yours is so weak he needs viagra,  
That's why your mine's closed because he want some tigra,  
He doesn't like some pale expiration-date-gone Atlas cunt, he want some nigra.  
If those jugs don't start moving, you better beware,  
Because this tiger's going to smack them without a care.  
In the end, you don't know what you want,  
Alcohol, dick or freedom from your husband,  
When I get who we want, oh sweetheart...You got Khan'd."

Willow grinned, as she looked at her with a fire lit in her eyes, the amusement visible. "Ooh... Spicy."

There was a pause that fell, as Sienna handed Willow the microphone, the woman listening to the beat that kicked up, before getting the rhythm right.

"You think that scares me, tiger pussy,  
Or was that supposed to be funny?  
Tiger hoe ripping right onwards for the show,  
But if it comes to breaking Faunus bitches, I know.  
All that bluster fades away when your man comes to blow,  
Because little tiger pussy needs to go.  
You may call me cold, I may be a pale tart,  
But when it comes to stealing your man,  
I've already got a way to his heart.  
When I'm going to fuck that dick of his, you better be scared,  
Because Willow Schnee doesn't take no for an answer...  
And owns your Faunus Credit Card. "

"Well, there we have it! A battle of wits and words and slurs... by the lovely ladies! You decide who wins!" The announcer announced, and the camera stopped to roll.

"... Oh my Gods..." Weiss commented, as she looked at the Scrolltube video that had just stopped. It was a look of utter disbelief that settled on her face as she looked amazed, even as Jaune gulped. "I... I didn't know mom would... That's so crude..." There was definitely one of those weird moments happening right now, as she was speechless.

"Vote for your next challengers in the comments below! Awesome Rap Battle of Disstory is sponsored by Pepschnee and Schneebro. Remember, Razmire the Rapper is your friend!"

"Yeah..." Jaune mumbled, even as his Scroll dinged.

 **'I saw the video! Don't you think Sienna won?'** Kali's excited tone was enough to make him groan a little...

This was going to be a minefield...

 **Yeah... I figured I'd try entering the rap genre. Totally going to be the next eh... whatever rapper you've got. Nah, not really. Some of the terminology that's used is eh... pretty anti-Faunus. You can probably figure it out. Neither of those two are very... eh, coarse in their day-to-day linguistics. Hope you enjoy, and yes... I mentioned one of you guys that reviewed, because I needed a Rapper name. Might do a re-take of that one with Willow being all formal and such, but yeah... Hard to get a flow in the lyrics if it is too formal.**

 **Might do more of those rap battles if people enjoyed that one. C-sinz in da building! Suggest challengers!**

 **I look forward to reading your reviews, people! (Don't murder me in them for doing a really lame rap battle, though. I tried!)**


	27. Cabriole

**Chapter 27: Cabriole**

 **Yeah, no rap. Tis not a rap battle chapter.**

* * *

He looked at Nora as she looked down at him with an expression, the pained look on her face understandable, lost in that swing of emotion. She was not even trying to hide that expression of loss and tender care, working her fingers over the bulge there, even with her eyes pain-ridden.

"I don't want you to go..." Her voice was soft, even as her fingers peeled at the fabric. "So I am going to make you stay with us. Don't worry... Ren doesn't mind." She smiled an innocent smile which fell a moment later.

"Nora..." Glyphs appeared around her hands, the gravity effect hitting him in the stomach even as her hands were held up by the powerful repulsive effect, unable to touch him, his eyes looking at her. "No." His eyes looked at her, even as her hands tried to force themselves down, her lips pressed tightly together.

"I'll always be there for you, Ren and Pyrrha." He wasn't going to lie, he would be there for them no matter what. They were his team, even if Nora wasn't acting very calm right now. He could hear the stirring in the other beds, even as he knew that they had roused due to the sudden glow of the Glyphs.

"But... You'll die. I don't want you to die... I want you to..." Her eyes teared up, tears falling down onto his chest. "I want you to give me something to remember you by... Rennie tried, he can't do it with his Semblance activating right before... It's so bad, it's so bad that... You don't know what it's like."

He didn't know what she was talking about, even as he watched her expression change a little. "Just... Just relax. It'll be over in a bit... I know it's not going to be okay but... just let me... please? I don't want to lose you, please."

Desperation and fear warred within her and he jerked on the cuffs, trying to get loose. "Nora... You would regret doing this." He wasn't some sort of sexual monster, even though he knew the specifics. He liked to admire women, yet he also knew that it was more or less something that was the difference between himself and the girls around him... Maturity.

"If... If we graduate and you and Ren still don't have... children, I am willing to help out." He could hear someone shift a little, a sharp exhale tinted with relief coming from Pyrrha's bed. Nora's eyes teared up, droplets falling onto his chest. "but only... Only if you don't do things like this."

It was not a sacrifice that he would make under normal circumstances, but... But if she asked... She was a member of his team, and the smile on her lips was still something that he would like to protect. "How about a bit of a trial run, Jaune? I'll... I'll use my hands. Zip, zip, Boop!"

"I'd like it if you didn't..." He said, and he sighed. "Ren, do you think you could..." The lights flicked on, as Ren stood there at the light switch, moving with a gentle grace, even as he took a hold of her hands, the Glyphs dissipating with a flick of Jaune's will.

"Of course, Jaune. Come, Nora." The girl looked at her boyfriend and lover, her lips moving yet not a word coming out, her eyes desperate for something, as she continued to move a little more, her eyes glinting with that dark glimmer of something.

"I'm sorry, Jaune." He said, even as he climbed into bed after pushing Nora into it.

"It's... it's okay." Jaune said, even though he felt awkward.

Pyrrha got up from her bed, her eyes concerned and warm, even as her fingers started to work on the handcuffs, her fingers easily pulling them open, her Semblance like a warm glow around the metal.

"You're free." Her gaze went down, before she smiled. "Unless... you'd like me to give it a try?" There was a teasing tone in her voice, mixed with some loss, even as he rubbed his wrists, sighing a little at the tone she took.

"I'd rather like you to change course from such an effort." He said, even as she nodded, her eyes careful, as she worked on getting the zipper back up whilst he worked some feeling back into his hands. She smiled at him.

"Hmm... Do you? Are you sure that you wouldn't want to have a bit of a try?" Her green eyes sparkled with amusement, as she leaned closer. _'Too close, Pyrrha!'_

"Pyrrha..." She sighed, shaking her head and then returning to her bed.

"I guess you're resolute. I can appreciate that in a man." The words that she used were calm and gentle, understanding of his path in life and how it worked for him, even as he could hear Nora go "Come on, she's practically doing the same thing, Rennie!"

It was adorable in a way, yet there was enough on his plate already. "Sleep well, Jaune."She smiled, winking at him, even as the light switch was flicked off, courtesy of her polarity Semblance. Sleep didn't come easy this night.

He emerged from their room and trundled towards the cafeteria with heavy steps, feeling a little groggy as he ambled towards the food and filled up his plate. That he mostly chose the hearty Atlesian breakfast foods he barely noticed, even as he sat down with the rest of his team, Nora her energetic self, speaking about some of the wild dreams that she had last night.

"Woah, Jaune. What happened to you?" Ruby's voice came from his right and he looked up at her, seeing the worry in her silver eyes, as the other members of her team sat down, their eyes looking equally worried in the same fashion.

"Ah, just went on a date with Adam's sister..." The concern in the eyes of team RWBY was enough, holding his hands up to ward off any concern, as if it would help something. "No, she didn't do all of this." The bruises were slowly fading already, thankfully.

Blake looked at him with an odd look, munching slowly on her tuna sandwich, her eyes never quite leaving him. "I participated in some Faunus thing called a Pogrom."

Blake suddenly choking on her food drew his attention, even as she gave him a sharp look. "And you survived? How many people were there?" The concern in her eyes was pretty adorable, Kali holding a similar look at times when she was concerned for her husband, as much as he knew the woman.

"Eh, around two-hundred. The last guy that I faced was this huge dude named Fernando." Blake looked at him, turning pale.

"Are you okay? Do you need to go to the medical wing?" There was genuine concern in her tone, as her eyes looked at him in a very pointed manner, her eyes watching for any sign of bodily injury that was too great to easily let mend through Aura.

"I'm fine. It was just some bruising and most of my Aura caught it. They were really apologetic about it too." He didn't really know what the fuss was all about, but the distant look in her eyes was a little worrisome. Her tongue licked over her lips as she swallowed.

"Two... two hundred, eh?" Her eyes focused on him, their intensity somewhat different, even as her teeth bit her lower lip. "Hmmhmmm..." Her gaze went to Yang, even as she swallowed, then went back to him.

"What is a Pogrom?" There was a pause in Blake's thinking apparently as she seemed to mutter something like 'fuck me' under her breath, her fingers disappearing below the table for a moment, shifting a little as she changed her seating.

"Oh, it's a battle royale where Faunus beat up each other. Standard White Fang initiation and promotion." The absent-minded manner of speaking that she did, as she adjusted whatever she was adjusting, was enough to make Weiss frown.

"Isn't that... like, illegal?" She asked, Blake shrugging a little. Jaune could see that her mind was elsewhere, Yang nudging her lightly in the side, Blake's hands getting back on the table.

"It's a sign of... yeah..." Blake definitely seemed to be off in a different place, as her tongue made another lick over her lips. "Dominance. When my father was High Leader, he beat one-hundred-and-fifty Faunus in a Pogrom, with Sienna Khan defeating a similar amount... To see such a man do a similar feat..." The tongue flicked over those lips again, Yang's eyes widening and her mouth falling open.

"That is impressive." There was a pause, as Blake seemed to comprehend what she'd been saying, her cheeks flushing a little as embarrassment flooded it. He could understand. Several of the women who he'd beaten down had been bold in their own words, stating that he'd have a 'warm greeting' when he met up with them.

"Y-yeah." He mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Eve said that Faunus get such arts of demonstration well. Ah, Ruby?" The silver-eyed girl paid him close attention, even as she rolled one of the small strawberries around on her plate with her fork.

"Eve said that she'd like to see you four in a production of her studio, something about re-enacting the situation at the Docks, and Eve said that she'd be taking on Adam's role, since he's... yeah." Blake quietened immediately, her eyes going wide. Her cheeks turned rather red. _'Perhaps she's seen some of the stuff that Eve's made?'_

"I'm..." Blake's hand fell onto Ruby's shoulder, Blake's gaze directed at him in that creepy way that made him feel like he was just a piece of meat and she was the big bad predator.

"Do it." Blake's voice was soft and more directive, even as that tongue slid over her lips. Her eyes were like steel as they looked at him, her breathing a little more rushed. "It would be a great opportunity to... see Jaune some more."'

"I mean... sure? Yeah, let's make a movie together, guys!" There was a cheer, even as his own team gave him a look of 'what are you talking about', a grin on his face.

"Her production company was going to go and make an offer... But yeah, eh... only if you'd like, Pyrrha, Nora, Ren." Ren's eyes met with his own and the Mistralian native shook his head slightly, whilst Nora and Pyrrha's eyes seemed to glow.

"Oh, eh... I'll have to consult my agent about that first." Pyrrha mumbled, even as Nora's enthusiastic nod made her hair bounce and bob.

"Alright... I guess we're doing a short movie!" Blake licked her lips again after Ruby said that, her eyes directed right at him in a creepy cat-like stare. He wondered whether he should ask Kali about what that meant in Faunus body language, but thought better about it.

"Oh, and I've got a new rifle... Maybe we can check out how well it works at the range?" Ruby's squeal of joy was loud and ear-splitting, yet he knew that she meant well with her actions, even as she bounced a little in her seat, the strawberry suffering an inglorious ending as it was speared by the fork that she wielded like it was a poker, her silver eyes enough.

"Ooh! What's the calibre of rounds that are used in it? Does it use a Shermon-Tero Barrel?" The questions were fired swiftly, as she continued to bounce, the poor strawberry moving with the motions. "You've got to let me check out the cartridges! Proper Dust handling is important."

The snort from Weiss was enough to bring a sense of amusement to him as he laughed, shaking his head lightly at the image of Ruby 'experimenting' with the Dust once more. "Easy there, crater face... I know what happened the last time you handled Dust. I'm fourteen-C certified. It's not that hard to cause a Class-three with several of the rounds that I've got stocked."

The terminology was something that mostly higher-ups would know in the field of Dust use, the fourteen-C certification given to most people who knew the elemental reactions and the military grade of Dust, a Schnee-guaranteed standard that every member of the Schnee family knew. Weiss would know, yet her eyebrows raised up in surprise as he listed it off.

A class-Three was generally known as an 'explosive reaction of three types of Dust', which happened due to improper handling of the cartridges, causing the rounds to rupture and spread their payload, mixing after a while and creating an unstable mixture.

"Aww... But we'll be shooting at the range! Your weapon against Crescent Rose!" The cheerful tone of her voice warmed him, even as he laughed and nodded his head. "Alright! After classes, to the RANGE!"

The range was located in one of the buildings off to the side, the walls shielded with special lining in order to contain Dust round explosions, all in order to ensure that no sudden casualties were made due to the way that the weapons worked.

Nora stood a little antsy as he pulled the rifle out, the stock folding out, letting him hold it up for a moment, testing the balance a little. The rifle on itself looked like any typical assault rifle, the cartridge that he had currently inserted into the rifle enough, as he peered through the scope. _'Cool... it's got a night vision mode as well as a infra-red mode...'_

"Alright... Remember... hit the centre of the target!" He took careful aim, the barrel lengthening as he pressed the switch on the side, the muzzle enlarging for some strange reason that he didn't quite know the exact science behind, even as his finger put itself against the trigger and he aimed the sights properly, a singular round shot through the barrel, the flash soft, even as a muffled 'thump' sound came, the round flaring up in a bright flare of flame Dust, the target half-obliterated, flaming bits raining down.

"Woah... I guess you're really fond of your explosions, Jaune..." Yang commented, even as Blake nudged her side. "How about you go and give me a bit of a happy explosion, Jauney?" The teasing tone was there again, yet he could hear how her voice quivered. She was a little impressed, and yet...

"Yang!" Ruby's voice cut through the air, even as Weiss made a little 'humph' sound, her eyes glinting as she looked at him.

"Hey, if he wants to blow up all over my face... I wouldn't mind?" Her grin was teasing, even as he gave her a look, Yang giving him that smile that showed that she was just messing around, acting as if she was the confident girl that never cried.

"Oh, I don't think you'd mind, partner." Blake said, giving him a wink. _'Oh?'_

"Oh? Does my little pussycat have something in mind, involving one of those ribbons and a hot and steamy night?" Here Yang truly shone, with her manner of switching gears, her eyes looking deep into Blake's own. If it were under normal circumstances, Blake would come back with a quip about how it would not be a steamy night due to the humidity, but Blake gave him a look, smiling in quite the fetching way.

"Bring Jaune and we can make it a very hot and sweaty, steamy night together, Yang... Just imagine it..." The purr that came from her throat was unintentional, as she blinked, turning a little redder in the face as she took a deep breath. "Well... Eh... yes, yes."

Yang looked a little awkward with her mouth half-open, Weiss and Ruby both giving Blake a look as if she'd grown a second head that was doing a perfect rendition of the Atlesian opera 'Mondschein im Winter', the Faunus blushing a little more as their gazes fell onto her. "What? Eh..."

"Gee, I didn't know you could be that kinky... How about we get privately acquainted, huh? What do you say, partner?" Blake didn't even stop it, even as her head turned to look at him, as if asking for permission. _'What the hell is happening here...'_

Blake wasn't the most social of people, but to pull a Yang here... _'What changed?'_

"I... see. Ooh! Can I look at the barrel?" The question came from Ruby, his hands offering her the rifle. Ruby took a hold of it, only to drop it a moment later. "Ack! Ooh, it's electrified!"

He looked at the weapon, watching it for an instant and then gingerly picking it up. No sense of electrical current was visible, even though he held it. "Guess there IS that thing about biometric acceptance or something..." He mumbled.

"That's... that's pretty high-grade stuff. Generally only military contractors get to hold such stuff..." Weiss mumbled, looking at the weapon. "Where did you say you got it from?"

' _Your mother.'_ He thought, yet he couldn't say as much without incurring a massive amount of suspicion. The relationship between Sienna and Willow was meant to be a secret, in order to let them capitalize on the surprise and make sure that whoever was it that had put a hit out on Sienna would be taken care of.

"A friend of Sienna's works in R&D." Weiss made a questioning sound, even as she looked at the cartridges. "Ah, the SDC has offered to provide some ammunition due to damages sustained. It's part of the settlement." Another little hum came from Weiss, even as she sighed.

"I suppose that you did get shot... Father would charge you, yet mother is... oddly sympathetic at times. When she's not stone-cold drunk and embarrassing." Her head shook a little, even as she looked at him. "J-Jaune... Do you think... Do you think I should give her another chance?"

He remembered the pale face, bloodless and limp. Not a sign of life to be found, yet he had brought her back. This girl's mother, the memories that had been pushed into his mind to clarify the thoughts of the woman...

"She's your mother. Your father may be a colossal asshole but she doesn't deserve to be disliked." He was biased, he knew, as he knew how badly it tore at her to have her daughters dislike her for her antics and her lifestyle. She was making a change now, he knew, but there was little to be said about that right now. He couldn't unveil his knowledge without drawing out questions.

"I... I suppose I can make an effort." He nodded, understanding that this was Weiss already giving him some graces. It was not something that he would be able to dissuade her from if she decided otherwise.

"Really?!" Yang said, even after Blake had whispered something to her, Yang's cheeks red in colour as she looked at him, her tongue sliding over her own lips. "I gotta check that out. Alright, team meeting at the dorm! We need to discuss the movie thingy!"

Yang was a force to be reckoned with, as she gathered the team and hurried them out of the range, leaving him there with his team. Pyrrha smiled softly, even as she held up her own weapon shifted into its rifle mode. "Want to do a bit of a shooting match... oh, standard rounds, please. I don't have the Dust to try and do what you do."

The adaptive system was enough to chamber rounds that were normal as well, the rifle put into its 'assault' mode, the barrel shortening, turning into more of an assault rifle rather than the configuration which allowed for easier sniping.

It was time to get the game going, even as Pyrrha selected a setting for the range, the targets starting to move. _'Time to shoot for some prizes...'_

* * *

She was dressed in a half-formal business suit, the deep cleavage enough to accentuate her bountiful form, the wedding ring on her ring finger feeling like a heavy burden as she moved toward the looming Academy building, her eyes catching sight of the students that milled about, their curious glances met with a frosty one of her own. _'They do not know why I am here...'_

Olav was at her side, together with another of the bodyguards that had been with her for years on end. Oleg and Olav had been friends since the Academy, before they had gotten their official posting in the forces, and it showed. Where Olav was a man who was built like a fortress of muscle and bone, Oleg was slighter in his frame, wiry in the manner of muscle, with a great penchant for using his machete-shotgun in close combat situations. She had only seen it happen once, during an angry worker trying to take a stab at her, yet the man was efficient.

As she strode through the halls, she became aware that the people here seemed to be little in the way of Atlesian custom, their attire formal, as was expected of students of the Beacon Academy, yet without the etiquette that was custom within the Alsius Academy... or she supposed it was Atlas Academy now.

"Hey there, ice queen." Her buttocks felt the smack, quivering below the conservative skirt that she had opted to wear, the sudden smell of alcohol hitting her like a physical blow just as much as that swat to her rump had been. Her gaze turned, to look at a man who looked to be around her age, perhaps a little younger of the sort, the red eyes that were the colour of wine looking at her, the scruff on his chin enough, as his smirk was challenging, at his side standing a man who looked a little like Jaune, in more of a dopey way that seemed to have some sort of amusement, the tattoo on his shoulder looking lame in her own modest opinion. So did the little strip of fuzz at his chin. Who would prefer a man who looked like he had a clod of mustard on his chin? You'd have to be some sort of out-of-touch bandit queen or something...

"I... see." She said, her voice moderate, even as she flicked her eyes to the bodyguards, the man's hand back at his side long-since swatting her rump. The challenging grin on his face was enough, even as he looked at her.

"No witty reply this time, Ice Queen?" The lunk of a man challenged, making her press her lips together tightly, his eyes looking her over, the soft 'tssk' coming from his lips, even as her gaze turned even frostier. "Going to be all silent again, huh?"

"Qrow... I don't..." The man said, trying to interject a little, even as the man's hand wrapped around her waist, the man having moved entirely too fast for her to catch.

"No snarky response, Ice Queen?" Her butt was pinched again, her facial expression enough, even as she took a deep breath.

"Remove your hand or be forced to see it amputated." Her voice was cold as the fingers slid over her 'damn fine' ass, looking into the man's challenging eyes, his stature taller than she was, yet the man's hand never moving.

"Brought two big bozo's to guard you, eh? I thought you were all proud about your choices... Thought we had a thing together..." Anger blossomed inside her and her knee moved, meeting tender parts of his body, the man's head lowering as the full weight of her knee made intimate contact with his gonads.

"I kindly suggest..." Her hands grabbed the man's jacket-clad shoulders, pushing him up. "That you unhand me, kind sir." The venom dripped from her words, the man's hands clutching his little family jewels, even as her arm reared back and she gave a punch that had the full force of her weight behind it... not much, really, but it caught the man off guard, going down in a single motion.

"Olav? Bar him from purchasing Schnee Dust Company Dust for life." The tone of her voice was colder than the Atlesian winter, as she looked at the man, who seemed to be dazed and stunned, obviously in no state to readily do something like that.

She fixed the other man with a look, her lips pressed tightly together. "And you... Are you going to molest me as well?" Her voice was irate, as she drew up to her arguably relatively short stature.

"No, no... I saw the wedding ring on your finger. You must be Winter's mother, right?" The smug grin on her lips was enough, as she extended a hand, nodding once.

"Willow Schnee, I would say that it is a pleasure to meet with you but..." her gaze went to the man who still was curled up there on the ground. "That would be a blatant lie. I did not come here to be molested by some... garbage man."

"Yeah... I apologize for my teammate. In his defence though... You and your daughter share quite a similar appearance." She smiled at the man, though it was more of a modest smile than the genuine article that was reserved for those who cared. "We are here to check up on my daughters and his niece." She nodded, understanding the sentiment.

"I may have need of a pair of experienced Huntsmen." Her gaze drew to the man, who slowly was crawling back up, his eyes looking at her with a look of betrayal, obviously having missed the conversation. "Are you the man who is sleeping with my daughter?"

Her voice was sharp, even as she brushed the hand with her wedding ring on it through her hair, so that he could see the band for what it was. His eyes went wide for an instant before he schooled his features. "Why, eh... yes."

Her lips pressed tightly together. Jacques would find a reason to get the man shot for being a lout... And there was little reason convincing her not to take a similar attitude towards the man. "I... see." There was a frosty tone that lurked within those words, her eyes fiery as they looked down at the man as he slowly got up again to his full height.

"The name's Branwen, Qrow Branwen." He extended a hand, a smile on his face, even as he seemed to be stirred. "Heard from the Ice Queen that we're pretty alike."

Her hand took his, only out of the formal etiquette, as she gave him a sharp look. "If you mean that we are both reviled for our alcohol consumption by my daughter, I will grant you that compliment, Mister Branwen."

The 'Oww' from the blonde man was enough, even as he extended a hand. "Taiyang Xiao-Long. My daughter's on your team, same as with his niece, we're brothers-in-law... kind of." He had an easy smile, even as he glanced at his friend and teammate, something that Willow did not miss with her keen perception.

"Let's get to their dorm, aye? Ozpin said that we were clear to visit." She was musing on the efficiency of hiring a Huntsman team, yet these two men seemed somewhat dependable, even if one smelled like a bad night of binge-drinking.

"Let us indeed depart. Mister Branwen... your access to Schnee Dust Company Dust is now revoked. May I suggest that you find another option in due haste, should you require Dust ammunition?" The words were sharp, yet she was fully within her power to do so. It was not every day that some random stranger who may or may not be fucking your eldest daughter like some drunk hobo with an alcohol addiction groped your ass and called you Ice Queen, after all. _'Hmm... Jaune probably would get away with calling me Ice Empress... Yes... That would make a good title. He better grope my ass good though.'_

"Damn, you even have the same creepy grin as Winter does." The comment made her look sharply at the man, even as her gaze firmed up. Stopping in front of the door leading to the dorm, she motioned to the man, who slid his Scroll over the lock.

"Teacher privileges. We both work at Signal, teaching kids how to be worth a bit more than the average joe." The man said, even as he pushed open the door.

"And we're going to damn well do it and make it great! Let's make a porno!" The cheerful voice of the blonde girl with the massive rack up front came from the door opening, Willow's body freezing up a little as she saw the look in the blonde man's eyes.

"No matter how badly we've got to act... We've got one goal! Let's make that porno a reality, or else we're not team RWBY!" The fist that was raised in the air was enough, even as the girls cheered, the door swinging open then as the man stepped in and laid a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"I'd like to have a say in your future career prospects, Yang..." The man's voice was eerie in that tone of paternal outrage, even as the silver-eyed redheaded girl made an 'Uh-oh' sound, the Yang girl's face turning a pasty white, even as her gaze slid to Qrow and then finally to her.

"H-hey, dad... Eh... no need to do that, I'm seventeen, I can decide on my own, right?" Willow could see her daughter shrink back a little, noticing that she's uncomfortable with the sudden appearance of an adult, mentally sighing, as she steeled her features.

"Could you move aside, please?" Her voice was light, and she passed by the man, looking at Weiss and giving her a little smile. Weiss lit up like she had just heard that she was getting an extra slice of cake for her dessert, a smile on her own lips now, more genuine than the one that'd been there a moment previous.

"Winter!" The excitement in her voice made Willow feel a stab, even as she watched her daughter get up, nearly skipping to her. The lout named Qrow gave a rough chuckle, as he shook his head in her peripheral vision, Weiss stopping a little before her, clearly gathering herself in order not to appear too childish. _'You can be as childish as you want to, Weiss...'_

"Ruby, Blake, Yang, allow me to introduce my older sister to you, Specialist Winter Schnee." It was a pause, yet Willow sighed.

"It is... it is good to see you, Winter." There was a hopeful tone in her daughter's voice, even as her eyes went to her attire. It was a thing that Winter would never wear willingly, with how much of the prim and proper style that most high-executive business functions required.

"I'm afraid I'm not Winter, Weiss." Her voice was still moderately similar to the matured tone that she usually had, Weiss' eyes looking at her, widening slightly. "But I am happy that you feel glad to see me."

' _Keep it together.'_ Her eyes met her daughter's, colder now as her expression changed.

"Come to curry for my favour again, mother?" She froze. _'Please. Please don't... Please don't say it like that.'_

"I've told you enough..." Weiss' tone was cold, even as she turned away, the gesture hurting more than she had expected. A slap would have been bearable, the pain stinging for a while, yet perceivable... This... This was worse. "I don't want your money. I don't need you..."

She lost control for a moment, her gaze turning sharply, meeting a set of purple eyes, a shudder rocking down her spine, before rigid control came back and she firmed up. _'Don't show weakness. Don't break down, you're strong... You can do this.'_

Her fingers gripped the jacket, even as she exhaled a little sharper than she ought to have, the purple eyes confused, before they widened in understanding. "Weiss." Willow's voice didn't quiver one bit, as she spoke.

"What, mother?" Her voice was biting, cold. "Apologies? Here to invite us all to dine with you in order to make up for your failings?"

' _How can you THINK that? Is everything supposed to be business and bartering?'_

She firmed up, inhaling slowly. She could bear this storm. Weiss continued along, though. "Well, I'm going out with my team for dinner soon. With someone who's more than earned my faith and my trust, a mother and father that can actually be respectful and kind." Willow knew that Weiss would have had no contact with the Belladonna's, she was undoubtedly only going off impressions from a teammate, even as she inhaled. Her lips were thin lines, only the redness of her lipstick keeping them from being pale and fleshed.

"Weiss..." The redheaded and silver-eyed girl seemed to ask for some sort of moderation, her daughter turning to her.

"I think you should listen to what she has to say."

The dismissive sound that Weiss made was so alike to Jacques' that the mask nearly broke, biting down on her lower lip, trying to keep her breathing moderate. _'No...'_ She was at fault. She should have divorced the man the moment that he had first hit her... She should have been a mother, rather than a bother.

She breathed in a little faster, the start of a panic attack, as she realized that this would probably make or break her. The polite cough at the entrance of the dorm caught her attention, as she turned and saw her oldest daughter stand there, dressed in her Specialist outfit, looking unruffled and unbothered by the happenings. "Woah, they look like twins."

She glanced over Winter a little more before deciding that she definitely had a cup size on her oldest daughter. Weiss would grow as well, she believed, but it would take some time. "You requested my presence, mother?" The formal tone was enough, Winter fixing her with a look that showed brief surprise at her appearance, even as Willow straightened out a little.

"Indeed. We have much to talk about, daughters." The synchronised 'Tch' that Winter and Weiss did was enough to stab deep in her heart, making her feel like she was bleeding out, her eyes catching sight of the look on Weiss' face, even as she got to Winter and gave her a hug.

"My older sister, Specialist Winter Schnee of the Atlesian Specialists." The curtsy that Winter did was perfect and uniform, enough to draw the attention, even as the piece of trash that she was undoubtedly sleeping with spoke up.

"Gee, I didn't know your mom looked as fine as you, Ice Queen." The heat that flushed her daughter's cheeks was borne from anger and frustration, as her hands moved to her weapons.

"Silence, Qrow! I will not be spoken to in such a fashion." The man waved it off, as if it were inconsequential, his eyes looking at her daughter with an interest.

"Doesn't stop you from cussing at me when we're at it together." The flush on her daughter's cheeks was enough, showing that she was going to throw a tantrum again.

"Mister Branwen, if you and your partner could please wait outside... I have requested this meeting in order to have a moment with my daughters." The man looked at her before dismissing her, so she added a glare to the man, who gave her a teasing blown kiss, something that her daughter didn't appreciate.

"Yes, I think that we would need some privacy whilst some drunken crows need to find some time to be sober... Though I suppose you might be able to give some tips on that front, mother dearest." Her daughter's voice was venomous as it spoke, her eyes meeting Winter's for the longest of moments, watching her response.

"Alright, alright... We'll wait outside for you kids to go and have your chat. Win, don't get your panties in a bunch, it's just your mother." Willow supposed that she would have to be offended, even as she strode over to one of the bunk beds and sitting down, enjoying the brief moment of springiness of the mattress before she watched the three other members of team RWBY including the father of one of the two and... some useless drunken hobo, filter out.

Her daughters sat down on the opposite bed, leaving her with only time to gather her nerves. _'I feel sick... How... How can I ever make it better?'_

"Well? What was so important that I had General Ironwood personally hand me an order to meet with you?" Winter's voice was acidic, even as Weiss said nothing, merely gazing at her. "And why do you look... different? Did you get some sort of face-lift?"

' _You little...'_ She took a deep breath, putting a smile on her lips that was as genuine as she could make it with the raging feelings still burning through her whole body, knowing that she was right.

"I simply wished to... have a little chat. Just between us girls." She didn't know how to start this off, the question about her relatively youthful appearance throwing her off slightly, as she looked at her daughters, who both gave her a sceptical look, as if there was nothing in the world that she could say to prove them wrong on their mutual dislike of their mother.

"Well... We're here, no thanks to you. Speak, mother." Her eldest daughter said, speaking dismissively... and that hurt.

 _'She doesn't even want to speak to me anymore...'_

"I am making Weiss the primary heir to the Schnee Dust Company and the prime inheritor of my shares." There was a pause as she said that, waiting for the reactions. She was not disappointed, Winter's eyes narrowing as she looked sharply at her.

"What sort of game are you playing?" Her eldest daughter questioned, even as her youngest looked stunned.

To have someone give you their shares upon the event of their death, ALL of the shares that you owned to the primary heir, was tantamount to saying that you wished to stake your fortune upon their shoulders in the hopes that they knew what to do with it.

"Do I have to play games, every time that I want to meet with my daughters?"

She was tired and sick of it and it showed in her voice, her eyes looking into Winter's, the mask dropping for a moment, as her hands ran through her hair, messy locks falling onto her shoulders. From their expression, it was clear that the answer was 'Yes' to that question, hurting once more deep in her heart. A hint of despair clung to her voice

"What use do we have for a mother who prefers the bottle over her daughters?" Weiss said, pain lancing once more into her heart. "You never were there for us and now... Now you're giving me the keys to the company..."

"General Ironwood would never allow for that to happen." It all came down to power... Willow's eyes firmed, as she closed them for a moment.

 _'As long as the General is happy...'_

Anger welled up inside her. It was all so silly. Why does Winter worship the man like he is her father? She was her mother and she did not understand what a man could do to her beautiful eldest daughter to inspire such feelings inside her. Why was HE worthy of such loyalty, whilst she had seen what paranoia the man held about his own position.

In Atlas, there were councillors, but there was but ONE general. _'Do you REALLY think that you would have a life if YOU were the heir, Winter? Do you think that Ironwood would allow you to work as a Specialist, whilst your womb is still empty and there is no next heir to the Semblance? Are you that stupid?'_ The Semblance was genetic, after all. It was inherited from Schnee to Schnee, no matter the circumstances. A bloodline that held control over one Semblance... powerful. She would _not_ see _her_ daughters be used in such a fashion.

' _The world is a cold, cold place... and here you are, acting as if you know it all...'_ An idea formed, as she mentally went over the stockpiles of Dust-based weaponry that they totally were not developing in direct contradiction to the international treaties. _'What... What if I armed the White Fang? They have some training... But they could be better. In a year perhaps... Another Faunus revolution.'_ She was under no delusions that it would succeed, but the Schnee Dust Company was STILL a private company. With Winter at the helm... it might as well be called the Ironwood Dust Company...

"Mother, are you listening?" Her eldest daughter's voice cut through her thoughts, even as she opened her eyes again.

"Oh, I was." She said, even though she hadn't paid attention in the slightest, her judgment already made. Ironwood was a cancer to her daughter and she would make sure that the man did not have the chance to corrupt her little Weiss too. If he had an inkling...

 _'If you touch my youngest daughter, James Ironwood... If you ruin my little Weiss with your paranoid delusions of an external threat... There won't be any place that you can hide.'_

Her daughters were daft if they thought that they would be worth something aside from their lineage in a world where James Ironwood played his shadow games. She wouldn't be surprised if the man was in some sort of shadowy fraternity of people holding the strings of power...

"Things are very clear to me."

Her face was set in a difficult half-smile, as her eyes tried to not tear up.

 _'My daughters...'_

"I guess I won't be telling you of what my plans are. A pity. I had hoped that we could talk like reasonable adults, but that seems to be a forlorn hope. You _know_ , Winter." She really wished that she could have a drink right now, even as a loud smashing sound was heard outside of the door, like someone was being attacked. She couldn't care about that anymore.

Not now. Not with her daughters up in arms against her, like she had done them such a great wrong.

She got up and walked, attempting to keep the grace of a queen with her, even as she felt the pain inside her swell up, tears starting to well up in her eyes. The dam was bursting.

* * *

He saw the hair and the eyes before he noticed anything else. His breath paused for a moment as he saw the face, tugging onto Nora's shoulder. "The woman with the short dark hair and the big weapon... Smash." The words were simple, yet the fear still worked its way in his heart, looking at those similar features.

 _'F_ _uck... I didn't think that she'd be so bold as to play dress-up... and she's even got a lookalike of me there.'_

"Nora Smash!"

The cheerful war cry was enough to draw attention, even as Magnhild drove itself into the woman's legs, bowling the woman over with a 'wuh-hah?' sound, Nora raising the warhammer for the next blow.

"Time to break your legs, evil bird woman!"

It was surprising to see Yang and Ruby and the strange blonde imposter man hold Nora's weapon from smashing down, the imposter giving a look at Nora that clearly showed his surprise and a certain irritation.

"Come on, smash that crossdressing goth samurai reject!"

They looked at him, even as they looked down at the woman again, the attire different, but he wasn't fooled one bit! Breasts could be bound and there were thousands of ways to give a bit of scruff to a woman!

"Jaune, hey, what's this about?"

Ruby asked, even as he approached, looking at the fallen woman. "He's my uncle, Qr-"

"He's a she! I recognize the face of the woman who told me to put a few babies into Yang!"

Yang changed colours, turning red and then purple and then back to red.

"I'm not going to get stabbed by that psycho again! Come on Nora! Hit her where it hurts! Break those legs!"

Nora tried to bring the hammer down, even as the impostor blonde sighed. He sounded like a solid dude, even though his eyes were weary.

"So you met Raven..."

"If you mean balloon tits goth Barbie with a katana addiction and a fondness for looking at my junk whilst I was getting out the shower, yeah, I think I met her. The pleasure wasn't mine because it was hell to keep that katana from shishkabobbing my kidneys." The man gave a wry chuckle. It seemed that Yang's mom had a habit of doing that... which pointed to a family flaw.

"Not exactly how I'd describe her, buddy... But this is her twin brother... So I'll have to take offence if your teammate puts him out of commission. That's my ex-wife you're talking about... But she's always been a little far out with her opinions." There was a pause as Jaune looked down at the twin brother, snorting slightly.

"Nora, ease up. It isn't Yang's mom." The girl nodded, giving a one-handed salute, snapping back to attention and shifting Magnhild back to the easier to carry grenade launcher. He looked at Ren and Pyrrha for an instant, seeing that they'd snapped to attention immediately, their weapons still in their hands, ready to be used.

 _'They know how to work together... good.'_

"Gee blondie, you must've had one hell of an encounter with my sister." Jaune snorted. That could be said indeed.

"I thought it was bad when Blake's mom suggested that we go clothes shopping..." Jaune mumbled to himself, audible to their ears. He sighed audibly though.

"But I think-" The door opened and Willow Schnee emerged, the bodyguards, who had taken strategic positions on the sides, stepping into line even as Yang's uncle got up again slowly, about to say something but the woman just brushed past them.

Her eyes were damp and the expression on her face was terrible, even though it was set in such a fashion that only those who truly knew her would be able to see through it. _'Oh no...'_ She was going to do something stupid again, her emotions reaching rock bottom once more.

He could see the expression on his face, looking at Ren and then making a snap decision.

"Channel your Semblance, Ren. Now."

He said, taking his friend and teammate's hand, feeling a sudden freeze in his emotions. Everything was muted, everything was just cold and factual, with no feelings at all, the whole world turning into tones of grey. There was no emotion, there was no feeling of sensation, there was only tranquillity, not a single stirring of things, and Jaune could feel the emptiness.

Before Willow came to pass by him, he reached out to her, seizing her upper shoulder, channelling his Semblance through his body and enhancing Ren's. Eyes that had been on the verge of brimming with tears seemed to quieten down, as she felt the emotional void wash over her, a shuddering exhale that slowly levelled up into a soft breath. "Hey... Are you alright?"

Her eyes were calm and tranquil, no smile on her lips as she nodded. "Much better, Mister Arc." Her voice was quiet and calm, and he fed more of the Aura into her body, feeling it pulsate through her being, the greyish white colour of Ren's Semblance rocking through her body.

"I'll say..." He released her hand, leaving her to get some colour back on her features, Weiss and Winter coming out of team RWBY's dorm room, even as he motioned with his off hand to Ren to disengage the Semblance. Clarity came once more to his mind as the emotions rushed back in. The position on where his hand laid was fairly intimate as far as Atlesian Formal went.

"Excuse me, mister Arc. I have an urgent appointment to get to." Her eyes met his and with her face turned to him, she flashed him a grateful smile, even as she continued on her way, leaving him standing there, shaking his head.

 _'What happened to make her...'_

He spotted Winter and Weiss and immediately the pieces clicked together. _'Oh.'_

"The nerve..."

Weiss grumbled, Winter remaining frosty in her expression, the little signs and tells that she had held since her youth now all alien to his eyes. _'I don't think things went well...'_

"What did you do to my mother, Mister Arc?" The question from Winter was enough, as he fixed her with a look, drawing himself up. He may not have some noble title or anything, but he was still taller than her, forcing her to move her gaze upward a little.

"My teammate has a Semblance, and I simply offered her a moment of reprieve."

The words were formal, even as he straightened his shoulders, looking down his nose at her, her own pale blue eyes looking right into his own, as he gave her his best and fiercest look.

"I will not be jested with, Mister Arc."

He frowned at her, looking into her cool pale blue eyes. There was defiance in those eyes, even as he shook his head.

"Whatever. Guys, we're going into our room. Enough excitement here from Miss Schnee and all the circumstances." He turned around, suddenly feeling that a gloved hand grabbed his shoulder, holding firm to it.

His head turned to look at her, fixing her with a look. "I was not done talking to you, Jaune Arc." Icy tones came from the woman's lips and he groaned, squeezing her wrist into letting go.

"Go and fucking cry me a river, Snowy. I can see why you take after your father so much." He turned around and entered his room, not giving a flying fuck about what the hell just happened.

He was unaware that Winter had stood there in a daze, as if she had been slapped in the face with the facts, a complicated expression on her face, before she turned to Weiss, her emotions warring on her face.

"Do I... Do I really sound like father?"

Weiss looked complicated, before giving a little nod, Winter taking a deep breath.

"I..." She started, yet there was not much more to be salvaged. Hostile looks were given at her by the members of team JNPR that had not left for their room yet, team RWBY half-captured in that look of uncertainty and a little hint of dislike.

Weiss herself had a complicated expression on her face, even as she whispered softly. "Sometimes, when you get angry, you sound a lot like father..."

* * *

Winter Schnee did not often get upset enough to cry, yet at that moment, she felt like she needed to.

One of the thoughts that went through her mind was – ' _Have I become so much like father that I have started to act like him towards my own family?'_ – as the doubts about how her mother had acted sprang to the surface.

"What...What did mama mean with that you know, Winter?" Winter shrank in on herself, recalling those words, the expression on her mother's face. It was enough, as she swallowed. A painful swallow. "What... what do you know?"

"Winter?" She straightened up. She didn't feel like dealing with this, not now. _'I'm...'_

The image of the woman, halfway raised up from the couch, the wound on her jaw the only sign, seeing the workings of the wiring there, the fresh alcohol enough to dull the pain at least a little.

 _'I'm... I'm not wrong, no... General Ironwood would...'_

The sad blue eyes looking into her own for a moment, as she saw Weiss climb onto the woman's lap, her head bumping against the woman's cheek and the visible flinch, the soft smile and the soft exhale of pain, even as the woman assured her youngest daughter that everything was okay...

' _I'm NOT wrong... No, I am NOT wrong. Mother has always been a lazy drunkard who did not care for us!'_ The thought felt wrong, as she realized a few things.

Her mother had been dressed in a daring combination, something that she normally would hardly wear, yet fitted her well. Her features were younger now and more vibrant and they looked healthier. _'No... It's the last effort... A final flash of light before everything else turns dark.'_

"Did you... Did you see her drink? When you two were out for dinner?" She asked Weiss, her voice a little stricter than usual with her sister. Weiss frowned.

"A... a glass of wine with dinner but..." Something ugly twisted in Winter's gut, guilt wringing inside her. _'What... What if she is trying to...'_

She had taken officer training when she had entered the Specialists, in order to become fully able to serve as General Ironwood's attendant and personal operative. Psychological and mental issues and traits came clearly to her and the way that she had been handled by the young man had been dismissive and angry, as if he...

' _The inheritance... If Weiss inherits her shares with her death...'_ The little girl inside of her quivered, as she realized that her mother might have tried to reach out to them, her eyes widening.

"Oh fuck."

The coarse language was not usually the case for her, but she realized that Willow Schnee could have only had one thought in her mind...

' _Mama is suicidal and going to kill herself.'_

"Gee Weiss... Way to deal with your own mother... I mean, mine's kind of a bitch but... You could've been nicer to her, even if she's got a drinking problem." The blonde girl spoke and Winter moved almost robotically, towards the direction that her mother had taken.

"Winter, are you alright?"

She could hear Qrow say something, but she pushed him aside.

 _'Mama... No...'_

Guilt crushed her as her eyes tried to find her mother.

 _'I may not like her, but-'_

Weiss tugged on her jacket, even as she tried to steady her breathing. It was a childish gesture, sprung from a time when she had been still with the family, Weiss demanding her attention. "Winter, what's wrong?" There was some question in her younger sister's voice, even as her eyes glanced in the direction that their mother had went.

"When do the shares transfer from mother to the heir intended, Weiss?" Her voice was sharp, trying to guide Weiss, trying to keep a lid on the panic that bubbled up inside her.

 _'No, there must be a reasonable explanation... It surely can't be that bad... She's a drunkard, not...'_

"On her death, of course. That is how the Atlas legal code describes inheritance." The answer was so logical that Weiss didn't even have to think about it to recite it.

"But what does that have to do with mother?"

Winter could see from the looks on the faces of the others around her that it had registered in their eyes what it would mean. They gave Weiss queer looks, yet she could not fault them for doing so... or for being so daft. "What? Why are you... Why do you look at me like that?" Weiss asked, as their gaze went to her.

"Weiss... Has your mother been... off?"

The man who was Qrow's partner spoke, his voice a little sterner, Weiss shrinking a little against Ruby.

"She's... she's been drinking a little less? Trying to connect, I mean... We had dinner together. She was asking questions about... personal things." The gut feeling that Winter had was enough to really hit the point home...

' _Mama has been trying to reach out to us to tell us how she felt... Father would not care and would rather see her gone...'_ She was officially the shittiest daughter in existence, and it showed.

"Why... Why are you looking at me like that?" Weiss said, not comprehending why they were so upset... She had never been alright with raised angry voices, Winter knew. The arguments between Mother and Father... never ended quietly.

"Weiss..." It was the blonde member of the team who spoke up. "I don't know how to say it but... Your mother may be suicidal." The snort from her sister hurt her a little.

 _'You don't want to accept it...'_

"Give her an extra vodka and she'll never notice." The scorn in Weiss' voice was real, even as she looked at them. "She drinks enough to keep the liquor industry afloat."

"Hey snow-puff, she was stone-cold sober when she was with you guys. Trust me, I know a bit about people being drunk and she's not had a sip in several days at the very least. I know how bad things can get, th' whole guilt about people you've lost and such." The drunken Qrow added for effect, a fragile look on Weiss' face as things hit her.

"Least I've got still got things to live for."

Winter was in motion, running right in the direction that her mother had gone in, hopefully not too late.

 _'Beacon's cliff is really high...'_

* * *

He rang her number immediately after he had entered his team's room. The connection came immediately, the click of the Scroll connection starting enough, as he heard her breathing. "It's terrible." She mumbled, her voice barely louder than a whisper.

"For all the things I try to do..."

He knew that she was going through stuff, even as he also knew her thoughts on things. "They don't know... But please... Don't do anything that you'd regret." The words were sensible, even as he felt her loneliness hit him. He could understand how she felt, even as she exhaled.

"I am going to divorce Jacques." The words were out in the open. "Find myself..." She paused, even as she seemed to turn a corner. "And... I'll give you an answer once I've done that."

"As long as you do what is right for you." He said, voice gentle, even as she sighed.

"I'll contact you tonight. I need to get myself something to eat." The soft and gentle 'Good night' that she uttered before shutting the call down was reciprocated, even as the warm feelings danced in his chest.

Life was hard for some but for others... it was unbearable.

* * *

 **Another chapter is done! I'll probably be hospitalized for the first week of June, so there probably won't be an update coming from me then, but please don't lose hope! Another chapter of The dance of tigers will come if I don't get bad news that'll make writing a lot tougher on my schedule!**

 **Leave a review if you'd like!**


	28. Contretemps

**Chapter 28: Contretemps**

 **The Schnee girls are all rather temperamental. They did not let their mother speak. Weiss said that she'd be moderating... But well... Saying and doing is a thing.**

 **About Jaune using the Schnee Semblance… Yeah… They saw. Do they want to broach the topic? No. Pyrrha knows that he knows Willow and Sienna on a deeper level than mere acquaintances. Nora doesn't care much and Ren knows that he values Jaune's friendship. Willow was de-aged to 29, thanks to her Semblance getting super-powered through his Aura Enhancement Semblance. Time Dilation Glyph in reverse might do that to a body, if it can speed someone up. As someone pointed out - She's been said to be 29, medically. She's still chronologically 39+, but she's got the health and fitness of a 29-year-old. Just to clarify.**

* * *

She let herself sink into the bath with a laborious sigh, knowing that things had gone tits-up with her daughters. Their reaction… it hurt. It hurt more than she wished to admit to herself, more than she would be able to owe up to…

Winter had watched the Dust aircraft as it lifted up, her face showing an expression that might've well been disdain, her cheeks a little flush, even as she knew well that the words that she had spoken had been enough…

' _To make Weiss my primary inheritor would keep the shares out of Ironwood's clutches… And well…'_ She was not certain yet that her husband would have hired more assassins to claim her life, so the measure was as good as it got… for now. _'I need to call Sienna…'_

She plucked her Scroll from the stand at the edge of the bath, holding it up and switching it on with one of her dry hands, feeling the warmth seep into her body. Sienna's number showed up, the connection soon made.

"Bad day?" There was genuine tired tone to her voice, even as the camera switched on, showing Sienna currently located at the Valean Air Port, the car behind her looking solid, the bodyguards that were arranged around her enough, the earbuds in Sienna's human ears enough, even as she gave a soft snort.

"You can say that again…" Her voice was so weary, even as she let her feet move slightly in the bathwater, the warmth and coolness of her legs, as she raised a knee above the water level. "Fuck, Sienna… My daughters just gave up on me."

She wanted to cry, yet she remembered Jaune's concern. His words had given her hope, had given her strength. Inheritance… Inheritance only mattered if the prime inheritor of the Schnee was married and not 'at odds' with her husband. She had been sure to outline that in the marriage contract… and the primary heir was an investment both from her husband as well as her own. Without their signature, it would not happen to have her little Weiss booted from the spot… and she was most assured that Jacques would not be able to manage to do so in due time.

"That's… That's really bad. Do you want me to come over after I've picked up my friends?" Her friend asked and she debated it for a moment. _'Would it help?'_

"No… Please…" A loud 'SIENNNAAAAAAAAHHH!' and a visible Kali Belladonna who embraced the leader of the White Fang with an enthusiastic manner, the dusky-skinned woman looking a little caught aback by the happiness of the Faunus woman.

"Soo… Talking to blonde and hunky? Making secret little date plans to make more Faunus babies?" The teasing question made her chuckle, even as the woman's face turned to the Scroll.

"Good evening, Lady Belladonna." The woman's eyes lit up, even as she smiled broadly.

"Helloooo!" The cheerful woman turned to the side, the chest hair of the husband appearing. "Soo… Ghira, do you think you can get the bags to the car? Sienna's talking with her friend." The smile on her face was devious, even as the woman wrapped an arm around Sienna's shoulder. "Soo…"

"We're currently at the 'truce' status." Willow said, even as the woman smiled even broader.

"Ooh… Ghira… Don't plan on sleeping tonight…" Sienna said something on the background to Ghira, even as Kali had taken the Scroll from Sienna's hands, looking right at the camera, a look in her eyes that seemed to be a little manic. "Mama's hungry…" A purring growl came from Kali's mouth, even as the woman's tongue licked slowly over her lips.

"Sooo… You two happy? Getting a slice of that cute human cutlet? Why… if I was only ten years younger…" Kali's face moved out of sight, even as Sienna ushered her away, Sienna's face showing that expression that she had when she was feeling embarrassed. "Heeeyyy! I wanted to talk to her! Ghiraaa!"

"Kali, you're… Alright, come here." The man gave in, even as Sienna appeared to the camera again.

"We've got a little issue with our biology sometimes, Will. Not often, but there are some periods in which we're a little…" Sienna coughed, her eyes strict as they blazed with that faint golden-orange tint, her gaze drawn down, Willow clicking the Scroll camera on, unveiling her own features.

' _My makeup is definitely going to need some adjustments in the morning, post-cleanse…_ ' She looked a little ghastly, even as Sienna firmed up.

"Mostly happens after we've had a child. Hormonal flares… I don't really have that, because I'm still…" Here Sienna paused, her lips pressed tightly together. "Not as intense, anyways."

Willow snorted. "You're about as intense as a tiger in a chicken coop. Probably as fierce as well…" There was a snicker that came from the woman, as her lips peeled away to reveal a cruel grin.

"Sienna Khan, beating bitches in the ring is my game." She winked at her, Willow finding the gesture to be more amicable than before, her mood brightening a little. "Still… You've got a problem." The ear pieces were in now, Sienna's face more serious than before.

"I think Ironwood is making a play for the SDC." Sienna's lips pressed tightly together. Sienna probably knew enough about the power structure of Atlas to know that the General and the Dust-producing company had been at odds about supply and costs, some negotiations stranding on occasion, even with the best offer.

"Your eldest daughter?" Willow nodded, her face serious, as she clicked the camera off. Sienna's face turned serious.

"Want to talk about it?" Willow wasn't sure whether the Faunus would be able to listen or not, but she sighed.

"I just want to lay in the bath and let my body drift away… Life is always so tiring." Sienna's face turned worried, and Willow immediately guessed to what she might be thinking. "I'm not suicidal anymore, Sienna." She said, the Faunus giving her another queer look.

"Good. I'd have to find another asshole to hate if you decided to take the easy way out, Will." Sienna said, without any fire behind the words, her eyes looking warmer and a smile tinting her lips. "So… What happened?"

Willow's face was tense, even though she had switched the camera off. It was time to tell her friend about how things had went. "Well, I ran into a particularly odious fellow who mistook me for my daughter… Smelled like he'd had too much to drink and well…" She shook her head at the recollection. Her daughter had horrid taste in men. A man who could be her father…

Disgusting.

She might know that it was somewhat hypocritical of herself, because she was definitely interested in a young man who could be her son, if only through his physical age, but… _'She is a fully grown woman…_ '

"I… see."

Her friend's comment was soft, even as she understood that there was a divide… and Sienna hadn't given up her pastime of getting drunk yet. "Then… Well, I wanted to say that I made Weiss the primary heir but…" She could recall Winter's own passionate response to the olive branch that she was handing to them, the suspicion that her daughters had towards her.

"They…"She was not going to cry. She was not going to CRY. Tears dripped down into the bathwater, even as she sniffed. She could hear a sympathetic sound come from Sienna, even as her head laid against the bathtub, a soft sigh escaping her lips. "My eldest daughter is lost to me… Why does Ironwood get to have her devotion whilst I am not even considered to be family?"

"Specialist Schnee does hold an unusual adherence to the rules, as far as observations confirm." There was no denying that Sienna didn't know who was who in the world, even as she made a sound in the back of her throat.

"I am still her MOTHER. That man… She is too blinded by him being NOT like Jacques that she doesn't _see_ the man's paranoia." She would NOT let her daughters be any closer to the man who could write the death warrant for a whole family for 'the safety of Atlas'.

"He has those issues." Willow snarled as Sienna said that in the most neutral of terms, the sound cold. _'You don't know the half of it. I may have attended several social functions where the General was present but… I am aware of people's excesses and their strengths.'_

James Ironwood was a military man, through and through. If he could find something to use, he would… and there were no measures too outlandish to not be considered. It would be 'for the protection of Atlas', of course…

"I will _not_ see _my_ daughter be used as a broodmare for the next generation of Glyph wielders." There had been rumours floating around about the R&D departments under the Academy. Strange near-magical hints of technology, rumours of a strange girl who wielded the most peculiar Semblance.

"Do you… Do you think that…" Sienna was taken aback, and Willow mused briefly on the fact that she might've lifted the veil a little bit too much.

"Would you not do the same if you were in the same situation? If Jaune were to wield a Semblance that was unique and powerful…" The look on her friend's face grew terrible, even as anger sparked in those eyes.

"If that stuck up paranoid asshole thinks he's getting anywhere near him, he'll have another thing coming…" The low tone of Sienna's voice and the words that she used confirmed a suspicion, even as her eyes met with the Faunus woman's.

"Atlas has more secrets than you know…" Willow was technically committing high treason by alluding to things, but she was quite beyond caring. She would NOT see _her_ family line be integrated into the gears of the war machine that General Ironwood was creating. She did not birth her daughters to be mere toys to some sort of nebulous elite.

"I've got to get in the car." Sienna said, her eyes looking serious. Willow grit her teeth. It would be logical that the woman would need to move.

"My… Weiss said that she was looking forward to the dinner with the Belladonna's. Can you… Can you please be kind to her? For me?" The Faunus woman nodded, sighing deeply. It was such a small effort to make sure that her daughter got to like the Faunus woman, even despite the opposition that the White Fang had often levelled against the company.

Sienna smiled at her. "Aside from the image that I have to portray as High Leader of the White Fang, I will treat her like any other human." The guarantee was enough, even as she shifted a little, nodding.

Willow supposed that it would be enough for her. The dreadfully dull meetings would hardly be something that she would enjoy suffering, but her father's legacy would not be ruined by the will of her husband.

"Have a pleasant evening, Sienna." She said, before she shut down the call. Her face twisted, as she heard the door be knocked upon. "What is it?" She called out, the voice of her bodyguard coming from the outside.

"Ma'am, I have been requested by Lady Winter to check up on you." There was a faint pause as the man cleared his throat, Willow sighing a little.

"If she really wants to..." She groaned, the door opening up to reveal her bodyguard, who looked at her, the water and at the creamy peaks that stood there upon her chest, Olav being in her service for long enough to know how she looked in the buff. _'I wonder what's up with that...'_

"The young Miss was worried that you might attempt... self-harm." There was a pause that fell, even as Willow blinked a few more times.

"I... see." She pressed her lips a little tighter together. _'That wouldn't be a bad road in...'_

If her daughter started to act a little like a human being, perhaps she should just act a little more like Jacques.

If she went after men who were emotionally unavailable and wielded a lot of power... It was perhaps time to show her wayward daughter that Willow Schnee herself was not the meek little woman that she occasionally appeared to be.

The Schnee still had their pride.

* * *

The limousine that had been rented to ferry them towards the hotel was well-stocked with plenty of the drinks that Sienna enjoyed, yet Kali enjoyed the feeling of luxuriously lingering against the comfortable seat, her fingers drumming a slow rhythmic beat onto her husband's thigh, her ears twitching a few times. "You're so pretty." Her voice murmured at her husband, a kiss pressed against his scruffy chin, the man never denying her.

"Kali, please try to focus." The man's voice was formal, even as he looked at her with a look that told her 'later', her tongue licking over her lips.

"Don't wanna... I want my big strong man to do..." His hand pinched her wrist, a low growl coming from his mouth silencing her slightly.

"Apologies, Sienna... She is not..." The other Faunus woman could undoubtedly smell the need within her. It was a radical shift in mood, even as her teeth bit into his cheek lightly.

"She can join in... Don't you know that it's good to have multiple pussies at your disposal, Ghira?" Her voice was deeper, huskier, her mind already tingling with the need, even as her husband pushed her back, gently so. It was something of a bummer, Kali knew, yet Sienna seemed to merely make a shake of her head the response.

"I've got different plans for that." There was a pause, even as Kali's head turned to her friend and somewhat protégé.

"Ooh! Are you joining in? I don't know what Blake would think of that..." There was a hint in her voice that it would all be okay, even as the burning inside her seemed to go on and on, her fingers lacing with her husband's.

"No." The disappointment on her own face was enough to make Sienna's eyes harden a little, a look on her face that Kali knew well. The 'stubborn Sienna' look that sent shivers down the spines of people who crossed her.

"You will be delivered to your room. Whatever you do _inside_ that room _with just the two of you_ is none of my business." Her voice was sharp, even as her eyes blazed with annoyance and frustration in them. Kali knew that look, having held it a few times herself when the battle for the Ghira had grown more intense.

"Aww, I think she's just a little frustrated... Don't you think that she'd be a dear when she's properly together with her cute little blonde?" The huff that Sienna gave was more juvenile than the leader of the Faunus Rights Organisation should give, even as her husband gave her a warning squeeze on her shoulder.

"Kali... What Sienna does is her prerogative." Kali grinned, knowing that her husband was condoning the efforts.

"He survived a Pogrom." Sienna volunteered the information herself, Kali licking her lips at the thought. A Pogrom was usually a good sign of someone's skill at the top. Sienna was a fierce fighter, even though fatalities often were avoided during the challenges... and her own Ghira had been just as fierce, his stamina winning him the position of High Leader.

He lit up the room he was in, even though he was a pacifist by nature, needing only words to get along, rather than to use the force, as Sienna advocated. Sienna's own fight had been something that Ghira had personally bore witness to, the final challenger being himself as it was, Sienna having beaten him bloodied and then forced him to submit. With her Dust Whip, it was as easy as forcing the man to surrender through an agile move.

It was enough for her."Impressive... So..." There were expectations, Sienna's face turning a shade darker as her eyes flashed. "Are you going to treat him to a special little surprise?"

Sienna's eyes met hers and blazed with fire. "I am NOT covering myself in whipped cream and cherry jam like YOU did." Kali grinned, licking her lips.

"You were surprised when I leapt onto you." That she'd been too excited to notice that she wasn't pushing her tongue down the throat of her man was something that she'd entirely like to gloss over. Sienna's eyes turned even more murderous, as her husband gave a questioning sound.

"Nothing for you to be concerned about." Came the answer from Sienna, as she fixed Kali with another look.

"But there was no whipped cream..." Ghira mumbled, something that made colour shoot up Sienna's face. It was a strangled sound that came from her throat, even as Kali smiled.

"This was about an hour before you were released, dear. Sienna simply kept me occupied." The way that the Bengal tiger Faunus had screamed was inelegant and loud, having forced her into the shower. "You didn't mind the cherry jam, did you?"

Seeing Sienna put her face in her hand and give a soft sobbing sound was enough, even as her husband frowned at her, her hand sliding up a little further, seizing a hold of what was most important. "Or..." Her voice was needy, husky, her eyes looking right into his as she climbed into his lap.

"Do you want to pop my cherry repeatedly?" The look in her eyes was fierce, even as she brushed her groin over his, her tongue licking over her lips.

"I may be persuaded." Times like these, when the need was higher as the hormones raced through her body and the burning inside her never seemed to fade away, the needy little shudders enough to shiver her whole body with that desire, as her body pressed against his own.

"Oh... I can be diplomatic." Her voice was a sultry purr as she pressed a kiss against his lips. The scent of his manly cologne, the favourite brand that he kept a generous stockpile of at their home in Menagerie, was something spicy and meat-like, a mixture of the scents that she quite enjoyed, her tongue dragging over her lips. "I can make you an offer that you can't refuse..."

Her fingers had already dragged the metal lip down, the sharp clearing of a throat behind her enough, as Kali turned around and met the death glare of Sienna Khan, High Leader of the White Fang. "What? Did you want to join in, Sienna?" Her husband's hand was on her hip, giving it a firmer squeeze which actually hurt a little. "But Ghira..." Her fingers pushed into the pants.

"We have arrived at our destination." Her hand pulled itself back out, her eyes looking at him, as she mouthed 'Soon' at him, her tongue licking over her lips.

"Please... do close your zipper." Sienna's voice was deadpan in its delivery, her face carefully schooled, as she gave a look that spoke of disapproval. "I might give him such a treat, if I was the only one in the scramble for him."

Kali grinned, even as she pulled the zipper back up.

"Now... I want to hear THAT story."

Sex could wait. Gossip was even better when it dealt with cute boys who were able to survive a brawl like that.

* * *

The morning was abominable, even as he woke up to the feeling of someone being right next to him. Pyrrha's sleeping form was there, looking like she had just fallen asleep there in the heat of the moment, her pyjama's covering her body without showing anything indecent. He felt a brief flare of worry enter his mind, even as he looked at her sleeping face, a look of calm repose as if the world no longer burdened her. _´I could have made her mine...'_

It would have been easy. She admitted to him that she had feelings for him... and he had denied her. It would not have been fair to her, seeing as he liked other women. Strong women, trapped by the family company and the lot in life that had made her into the leader that she was. An older sister, whose true feelings had been shoved below the mask of adulthood, to care for the younger sister that she loved and to adhere to the public image that was 'supposed to be'.

"Jaune..." Pyrrha's voice was soft, a low moan coming from her lips, even as she snuggled even closer, her leg rubbing against his own.

"Pyrrha?" He asked, even as her eyes opened, brilliant green looking at him, a smile on her lips forming. "Did you... Did you sleep well?" She smiled, leaning a little closer.

"If this is what your girlfriend is getting to look forward to..." Her eyes were sad, as she knew that it wouldn't be like this. She pulled a little closer to him, a lazy smile on her lips. "I'm just happy to know you."

"I don't feel for you like this, even if we're like this." Pyrrha smiled at him, a smile that was reserved for her friends... and she would be a great friend.

"Ah, Jaune..." Her cheeks flushed red. "Are you sure that you're okay for tonight?" She wriggled a little, pushing herself up from the bed. The reason why she was sleeping with him was to ensure that Nora couldn't do a thing. Ren had assured him that he would be taking care of Nora, whenever she needed it, yet Jaune was still a little wary about the way that the ginger girl was around him, but if she needed help... He would be there for him.

"Yeah, it's dinner with the Belladonna's, after all. It's not dining in the Chez Vale..." The dining manners were different for the situations that the higher class of people found themselves in. He knew how to use an oyster spoon... surprisingly. _'We shouldn't be eating anywhere fancy...'_

"I'm sure it'll be lovely. Are you going to wear those clothes?" She sounded curious, even as he looked at the sleeping Nora, whose leg was kicking empty air, her fist raised in a mock-movement, a smile appearing on his lips.

"I've gotten two sets." Pyrrha poked his side.

"Funded by the SDC... My, you're a regular toy-boy." Her smile didn't slip, even as he sighed and shook his head.

"I don't think it's like that." Willow had been enticing him, fixing him, a project of sorts to cater to her needs... and he had torn her soul from the darkness and pushed it into him. Like the witch who tore the soul of her deceased lover from death's embrace and was cursed for it to turn into a shrew by the gods, it was enough to drive any hormonal teen wild...

"It's more like..." He made a complicated expression, his eyes downcast. "I know a lot of the things she's been through." There were many things that would be upsetting to know. She had never told Weiss about her father's actions, neither did Winter know fully what the feud between her mother and her father was about. It was not just something that could be fixed with some band-aids and some kisses...

Not that Willow would kiss Jacques Gele ever again, according to the feelings that she felt. "You're a boy-toy, Jaune." Pyrrha teased yet seemed to be aware of the way that his mood went. It was a strange sensation inside him that made him frown a little as she spoke so casually about him being a boy-toy.

"I'm just someone that's…" He could still see her face. He got up, Pyrrha looking up at him with a questioning look. "Got the right skills for the job. I'm not going to give up on you guys, nor on her."

Willow needed some support. As he held her away from that edge of despair, he had found that the feeling had been good, that it had felt natural almost to hold her… regardless of the feelings that he felt.

As he stepped under the steaming hot waters of the shower, he allowed himself a moment to think about Pyrrha's words, knowing the burden that he faced. He could say that he loved Willow… He knew her intimately, had shared her darkest moments. He had seen her at the bottom of a deep dark pit, looking up at him and clawing at him to get her out.

But… Sienna was also there in his life. A woman whose eyes blazed with a fiery passion, whose words held inspiration to a generation of people who were oppressed, who spoke with a rhetoric that was fierce and emboldened by the rationale of might making the right. She had been a novice at dancing, yet there had been progress made, and through her he had met Willow. The feelings that he felt for Sienna were nebulous, but…

He looked down, even as he grabbed the sponge and brushed over his body, the shampoo making his hair a mess. "Damn it." He mumbled, even as he looked down at him, his fingers brushing over his lower abdomen. _'Sienna Khan…'_

She was not a woman who was ugly. She was a woman who was in the prime of her life, trained and beautiful in her manner of movement, like a dancer or an agile tiger ready to pounce. A woman who would give no mercy or quarter to those that opposed her… The same as Willow. Two different sides of the same coin.

Passionate, determined and driven, deeply affected by the liquor that they drank. He could tell from Willow's minute expressions that she was burdened deeply by the way that her daughters had rejected her, that she was not able to connect with them. _'I should have a talk with Weiss. A good long talk._ '

Weiss was a girl who needed to be shown the proper way. Willow could have done so, yet Weiss did not respond to her mother as she should… So he ought to do something about that. _'I won't let them ruin their relationship with their mother.'_ Winter was always the one who would cause the most trouble, as far as he remembered from the memory shards that floated around in his mind.

It was nearly fifteen minutes later that he emerged from the bathroom, skin reddish from the hot water yet feeling the relief that flooded him, after the distraction had been taken care of. Pyrrha raised an eyebrow, even as Ren and Nora gave a wave… Well, Nora more waving than Ren, who merely nodded at him. The outfit that he had selected for the dinner tonight being something Atlesian in cut, the way that it fit him just hitting that 'niche' that Willow had spoken of.

"So… Enjoyed yourself?" Nora teased, even as he fought a blush, his eyes narrowing at her.

"I don't know what you mean." The grin on her face was enough, even as she looked at Pyrrha. She looked innocent, a little red in the cheeks.

"She was grinding against you all night… So… Did you enjoy that?" The girl seemed to have calmed down from her earlier spell, even as he flushed even more.

"It's not like that…" Pyrrha said, her cheeks growing hot as well. "I am just…"

"You love our leader enough, don't you?" The spunky girl's eyes flashed with amusement as she leaned forward. "A little bit of extra help, a little touch… And then you'll be making babies whilst Ren and I watch."

"Unlikely." He said, nixing that possibility. Pyrrha was a good, friendly girl, who liked him, yet he didn't think that he'd want to get children immediately. Pyrrha looked at him and smiled. "Don't you think you should wash up a little? We've got about five hours to prepare."

He looked into Pyrrha's eyes, even as Nora gave a little pout, passing by him and whispering a soft 'I love you' at him, her smile as beautiful as it could be, Ren passing by a moment later and giving a little nod and a mumble of 'What she said, glorious leader.'

It was brotherly love from Ren, he knew. The Mistralian teenager was well-aware of the desires that Nora held about him, aware of the difference between them and the knowledge that he was trusted by Nora enough to let her act on those desires. _'It's a sad thing to see that she wants to keep me alive…'_

People shouldn't force themselves on others, even if Nora had been trying to connect with him in her own way. Her eyes had been so lonely and lost, so needy of desire and hope and something to hold. _'No matter what… I won't abandon you guys.'_

He was going to be like his late father and his grandfather, like their father and grandfather, back to the founders of the name… A hero. A Huntsman who would slay evil Grimm and make the world right again.

"So… Do you think I should do a bit of a touch-up with my makeup tonight, or do you think…" Pyrrha asked, even as she looked at him with an uncertain look, uncertain about the way that she should appear in public.

A certain look would allow others to be clued in to the fact that she was 'Pyrrha Nikos, the Invincible Girl'. He knew well from Willow's memories that a certain change of hairstyle could engender a change of personal appearance that would allow for the public to perceive things differently, which would allow a degree of anonymity for her.

"How about we go through your closet, see whether we have something for you to wear?" He suggested, a smile on her lips, shy and perhaps a little wanting. _'No doubt she would think me a little awkward… But I've grown up with seven sisters. How hard could it be?'_

"This dress looks nice…" A nice red dress hung there, low-cut enough to allow for her attributes to be on full display, yet still patterned nicely enough to make the look a little closer to modest than the 'glamour' that the higher circles preferred.

"It's got a low cut… It wouldn't be enough for your style to pop out." He said in response to that, as his eyes looked through the clothes that hung there. _'Hmm…'_

"How about this top." The dark blue would work well with her pale features, the shirt cut in a manner that would allow her best attributes to come through, his eyes looking at the pants section. He knelt to look at the clothes section of the closet, holding up one of her skirts. "Modest skirt, guaranteed to cover the knees, important for every young lady's chastity…"

He turned his gaze a little deeper into the closet, catching sight of something that was a laid against one of the walls, reaching for it and then grabbing a hold of it. _'Deodorant?'_ He pulled it out and flushed a little as he beheld the item in question.

"You… You can put that back." He did. His hand was back at his side, unsure whether he was going to need his hand cleaned. "It was cleaned." That wasn't helping much more, even as her blush had turned supernova in a flash. "I mean…"

"We're going to forget that these thirty seconds happened and never speak of them again." She looked at him and nodded. It was best to forget about finding his sisters' 'male replacement enjoyment devices' when he was cleaning their room. Vivian had given him a death glare when he had been found cleaning her room with the toy standing on her nightstand. _'That was one speech that I'd rather have avoided. She totally forgot that she had asked me to do so.'_

"Right. Eh..." She looked at him, as he pulled out one of her thigh-high stockings. "These... Why would they go well with these?"

"Because it'll finish your 'look'. Nice shirt, skirt and thigh-highs always sell the chaste innocent girl who'd rather be with her friends than beating Grimm... And we'll need to see about getting your hair braided and Un-Pyrrha'd. A good braid can change your image, with glasses to add to your 'nerd look'. Look at me, I'm a nerd too. I like comics." The smile on her lips was wonderful, even as she looked at him.

"It's a pity, Jaune..." She said, though she did not elaborate, getting dressed without any shame in front of him. He didn't look at her, even though he knew that she would allow him to look at her, the feelings that she had confessed to not fading so quickly.

"Everything's a pity in love and war... or so someone said. Can't remember the author of that book, though." She smiled, nodding her head.

As they all sat in the aircraft that carried them down towards the airship docks, he wondered briefly whether they had dressed a little too much for the occasion. Weiss, Ruby, Yang and Blake all wore their regular Huntsman gear, their weapons the only thing that was absent for now, all four of them looking at him as if he'd been the one to commit some social gaffe. _'I am not wearing the tie wrong, am I?'_

"So... Who are you and what did you do with our pussy-slayer, huh?" Yang teased, her voice a touch less confident than she'd had it before, a look in her eyes that was a little questioning, even as her tongue licked over her lips.

"I don't recall killing any cats." The answer was a little stiff, but with how Yang moved, a generous amount of cleavage was exposed. "But if you'd like to challenge me to another kind of pussy slaying..."

You could hear a pin drop in the silence that fell after that comment, his own realisation at the fact that he'd successfully flirted right back at Yang, the confused look turning to surprise and then a minute trace of some unknown emotion.

"I'm sure that Blake would object to being slain, Mister big bad Arc..." She got up and sashayed to him, her eyes looking into his own as she sat down on his lap.

"Yang!" Ruby's siren call came at that time, as Yang pressed a finger under his chin.

"She might be... resistant to the idea of letting some rough thug of a man take her to bed." The teasing tone was back, even as he could hear her breath, slightly short of breath as her eyes looked into his own. Blue met purple and her finger trembled lightly as it laid there under his chin.

"Is that what you want, Mister Arc? Make a little harem here at Beacon?" Her voice was sultry and purring, as her eyes locked with his own, her breathing still a little deeper, a little more intense. "Becoming my sister's best friend in order to get her for your taking?"

He moved his lips close to her ear. "You're cute when you're trying to deflect attention from your own nervousness." Her body stiffened as his voice whispered that in her ear, too low for most people to catch, her eyes widening a little. He knew that he had hit the bulls-eye with her, even as that finger slid down.

"And what if I had, hmm? Does that mean that I get myself a Yang included with the Rose menu?" He teased right back, Yang's cheeks erupting in a blush. She pressed herself against him. "You're the one starting to go on about me slaying pussy..." The conversation definitely was charged with emotion, even as Yang shuddered a little as his hand jerked her closer. A whimper came from her lips, even as her nose was close to his own. There was a deep wine-red colour erupting from those eyes, her lips smacking a few times as he steadied her a little.

"That is uncouth, Xiao-Long!" Weiss spoke up, jerking Yang and him back to reality once more. He realized that somehow, she had managed to straddle him, slipping a little down as to rub against him, her arms on his shoulders. He flushed red at the sight of Yang gaping at him, a lost look in her eyes, their colour a deep purple.

"I guess you don't have the balls, Jaune..." Yang said at a whisper, and his hand reached down and pinched her very fine and delectable rump. The shudder that went through her body was real, as her eyes widened, a shudder going through her again as she got up.

"G-good one." She murmured, her eyes looking at him with a look that might be respect, a hint of something else and just sheer... something even deeper that he didn't think he should comment on. It made him think of her mother, who had tried to stab at him with her ninja blade.

"Really..." Weiss got up, a tissue in her hand. "Allow me to apologize for my teammate's rough behaviour, Jaune." Her use of his personal name was enough, even as she dabbed the tissue at the side of his cheek, coming close enough to let him look at her, the smell of a soft muted perfume hitting his nose. _'Atlesian Rose.'_

"Now..." The tissue stuck a little longer, as she looked down at him. _'I recognize that look... She's got that look of 'this interests me more than I'd like to admit' on her face...'_ She was dabbing the tissue at his cheek, even though there hardly was any sort of smudge to be found. "You look a little more respectable... though I am not stating that you look disrespectable under normal circumstances! You look approachable, without any sort of flaws! Your sense of style is fabulous, truly fitting for someone like me."

She blushed a little redder, her cheeks flush with colour. "Not... Not that we can become a couple. I mean..." The tissue was pressing against his cheek, even as her blue eyes looked a little hesitant. "It would be... it would be unwise to engage in such piddle-paddle things! Unwise! We have a duty to protect."

"I thought that condoms were used for that sort of protection, Weiss!" Yang commented from her seat, even as he caught sight of Ruby turning redder, even as Weiss seemed to stammer onward. "And... Well..."

"I'm not..." The girl struggled with her words. He mentally sighed, closing his eyes for a moment, smiling at her and getting up. She looked up at him. Small and timid-looking, she was half-way in motion, and his arm patted her shoulder, as he turned her around.

"Thank you, Weiss. It would be un-Weiss if I just let my 'carnal urges' out and dragged you all into bed with me." He wasn't that type of man. He loved passionately and would _never_ do something so crass as to string a bunch of women along in order to sate some macho personality.

Ruby and Yang snorted at the pun, Weiss turning a little red in the face, a dainty little hand on his own, her blue eyes uncertain, not yet matured like her mother's. She would grow up and become a beauty, he knew... If Winter was one, Willow most definitely was one... and Weiss would be.

"You're... crass." She said with little heat in her voice. "But... You speak of wisdom." She pulled away from him, Pyrrha speaking up then.

"He's a wise leader." She said, as Ruby chimed up as well.

"Right! We're the best leaders! Kicking Grimm butt! Making Weiss blush! Making Yang flush!" The fist-pump was something that he thought was a little unnecessary, yet the look that Ruby gave him with her pretty silver eyes was definitely cautious, even as a smile appeared on her lips.

"Ruby!" Weiss said, a touch of embarrassment to her voice as she turned her head, giving him a look. "Do not take her too seriously! Our dolt of a leader speaks without thinking. We are all-" Whatever it was going to be, he'd never know, as Yang got up and got Weiss into a headlock.

"Aww, you DO care, Weiss! You're adooooorable!" It was Blake who had remained silent for the entirety of the shenanigans, her gaze at him with a certain mystifying quality, even as her lips pressed tightly together, her eyes looking straight at him.

"What're you thinking about, Blake?" He asked. The dazed look in her eyes made him feel worried.

"How good your bed game is." The words came out and his eyes widened, as Yang's mouth fell open, Blake snapping to attention, a red flush on her cheeks. "Now... You did this, Yang. I had nothing to do with the thoughts you put into my head." There was a blush growing on her cheeks, her ears twitching lightly as she looked at her partner, who released Weiss, the latter looking at her as if she'd grown a second head.

"So... Blake wants to be the one to Blake Jaune in, huh?" Yang grinned, showing her teeth. It wasn't a pleasant smile, he could tell as much. It looked like a smile his sisters would wear when they had to decide who was going to go do the laundry... vicious and shark-like.

"At least I've got experience. I've at least _had_ a boyfriend." Blake said, Ruby looking a little panicky.

"I... I think we're here." He said, their attention on him. Blue, purple and yellow and silver eyes looked at him, their gaze alike to Beowolf Grimm. There was a pause in the movement of the aircraft, even as the voice of the pilot announced that they had arrived at the Beacon docks.

"Jaune..." Ren said, as he brushed by him. "Good luck." He didn't need to know what he would need good luck for, as he walked down the metal ramp, out into the Valean air, spotting the familiar form of the Belladonna's standing there.

Sienna was at Kali's side, her eyes meeting with his, if he judged it right. A smirk curled on her lips as she nodded her head lightly, as her gaze met with his own for an instant, the whole breadth of emotions inside him working, as his tongue unconsciously brushed over his lips. _'She'd never... She'd never want some young teenager like me as her boyfriend.'_

The elegant business suit only brought out her charm more, her eyes looking at the others as they disembarked, putting the familiar face of 'Sienna Khan, White Fang High Leader' on, as his gaze departed from her, going to Kali and Ghira, the former leaning against her husband, a smile on her face that looked a little dopey. She was talking about something to her husband, whose gruff look was no doubt something that he had obviously had practice with.

"Blake! Jaune! We're over here~!" The sound of Kali's voice was elegant, even as she looked at them with that motherly cheer, a smile to her face enough to lighten up the world.

"Mom, please..." Blake mumbled as she stepped forward, walking up to her mother and father and giving them a gentle hug. He looked at that very fine rear as it stood out in the tight pants that Blake wore.

Yang leaned up against him and whispered into his ear – "Admiring the Bella-booty?" – without shame, as she was rewarded with a firm pinch. "Foreplay just makes me ignite, Jauney."

"Hi, Miss Belladonna! Mister Belladonna! You may not remember me, but I'm Ruby Rose, Blake's team leader!" Ruby stepped forward, Kali looking at the darling face of his best friend and immediately wrapping her arms around her.

"Ghira! I want me a girl like this one for our next baby! She's adorable!" Ruby seemed to try to get loose, yet Kali's grip was enough to keep Ruby solidly in place.

"Kali... it is not the time to talk about such things..." The man said, even as Ruby's face was pressed right into Kali's cleavage.

"Nonsense, dear! She is a well-educated young lady! Young huntresses like her will have the future to take as their own!" There was something in that tone that made him wonder whether there was something else planned in Kali's mind for Ruby. _'Better warn her that Kali likes to play dress-up with people... Sienna's cautioned me against the shopping spree...'_

"My name is Weiss Schnee." The perfect curtsy from the heiress to the company was as expected, Ghira giving a respectful nod in return. "It is a pleasure to meet with you, Miss Belladonna, Mister Belladonna." There was a pause, as she seemed uncertain whether to comment on the state of things as they were right now, yet there was something in those words that lurked of uncertainty.

"Feel free to call us Ghira and Kali... the big ol' lunk of a husband of mine may act all tough and stern, but when the chips are down, he's just a big mean pussy-cat." The man's eyes turned to his wife, Jaune catching the sight of his body language changing a little, even as Kali smiled cattily at him, clearly something, Ruby's arms flailing a little.

"Help! Can't breathe!" The girl was sprung free from the cleavage-trap in no time, Yang smiling brightly as she stepped forward.

"Hi! My name's Yang Xiao-Long, kick-ass girl with a bounce in her step and owning your daughter's ass when it comes to pass." The pause that fell there was enough to have both of the girl's parents giving Yang a look of 'what the hell was that?', Blake groaning softly as she heard the comment slip from her partner's lips.

"This is my partner, Yang... And you can freely ignore half of what she says." There was a hint in Blake's voice of desperation, even as her father looked at Yang for a moment, shaking his head lightly.

"Hey! You weren't complaining when I saved you." The smile on Blake's face turned a little more genuine, even as Ren and Nora stepped forward, to introduce themselves. Jaune looked at Pyrrha, catching the faint smile on her lips as she watched the going-ons with the family of Faunus and team RWBY, Sienna looking a little awkward whilst she stood there at Kali's side.

"So... Eh... My name is Pyrrha and I'm just the fourth member of team JNPR." Pyrrha did an awkward introduction, unsure about her stance. He laid a hand on her shoulder.

"She's my partner. The best partner that you could wish for when the going gets tough and the Grimm start crawling out of the woodwork."Pyrrha righted her shoulders a little, more confident in her manner.

"That's nice... Welcome to the family. The grumpy looking tiger next to me is called Sienna." Sienna's glare at Kali was enough to make the woman give her an indulging smile, nodding her head softly.

"Sienna Khan. You might know of me." The half-glare that the tiger Faunus gave to the girls around him wasn't really taken seriously by him, as he knew her to be better than mere jealousy. _'Imagine that... Her feeling jealous because these girls are just teasing me..._ _'_

"Oh, you're the leader of the guys who shot Jaune!" Yang's comments were met with a frown from Sienna.

"Technically, you are in the presence of the founder of the White Fang and its current leader, Miss Xiao-Long." There was a chilly tone to Sienna's voice, even as he could see Yang be intimidated by Sienna's mannerisms. Kali's gaze met his own, as she stalked forward, the elegant tread somewhat more sultry, as she pressed a finger against his chest.

"You…" Her voice was delighted, as her face came ever closer. _'Oh no, this is not going to be another Willow moment…'_ He was not going to get kissed by Blake's mom in full view of her daughter and her husband. "You will be a good boy, right?" Her finger tapped against his chest, shrugging lightly as he tried to imagine what a 'good boy' would look like in her eyes.

"I'll… try?" Kali smiled softly before she turned around, the smell of whatever perfume she wore hitting him in the nose. It was a scent that smelled more like the musky scent of some sort of primal perfume, even as Blake's eyes went wide.

"Mom!" She seemed about to say something to her mother before her cheeks flushed, even as Sienna stepped into his personal space, looking up at him.

"Be a good boy, Arc." She growled at him. A challenge, as he looked into her eyes. _'She's challenging me…'_

"And what if I'm not?" He challenged her right back, her eyes widening a minute fraction. Her body language shifted, as her tongue slid over her lips.

"I'll teach you your proper place." The words held danger, expectation and a hint of thrill. His eyes glinted as they met hers.

"My… Flirting with our little Sienna… Mister Arc, that is wholly uncouth…" The words of Kali drew them out of their little stand-off, Sienna's low 'tssk' enough to dismiss that line of thought, even as her eyes were remembered.

"Mom, you can't be serious…" Blake said, clearly not believing that Sienna would ever flirt with him. He couldn't quite believe it either, yet Willow had once read that Faunus culture often dealt with the subtle signals around them, to communicate intent and thoughts. What might be thought of as flirting by the uninitiated, could be a death threat in other words.

"There's going to be hot wings too, Blake." Kali said, grinning. "We had Sienna check for a nice place to eat." The excitement in the woman's voice was not faked. She seemed to really like hot wings for some reason, even though it mystified him as to what that reason was.

"Alright, we're wasting time…" The voice of Sienna cut through the chatter, as she looked at them and then nodded. "Get going, kids."

Blake's eyes met Sienna's, a look of wonder and curiosity. Sienna's smile was enough, even as it was only a brief fixture before her seriousness took over once more. There was a definite fondness for the Belladonna's in Sienna's manner of standing, as she looked at him, a longer look before she nodded. "The cars are prepared."

"So… Excited to be dining with the parents of a hot Faunus chick, huh?" Yang said in her usual boisterous manner, her fingers grabbing a hold of his own and giving them a little squeeze, the hand-holding far more intimate.

"I'd say that it's a dinner that many men would kill for… But I think that there are a few people who would get rather catty if I made a joke." Kali's smile at him was beautiful, even as she reached up to kiss her husband on the chin.

"Stop that nonsense." Sienna growled at him, his mouth closing immediately. Her eyes looked disappointed for a moment, her head tilting slightly before she nodded. _'Always so stiff…'_

"Geez, tigers are fierce today… Say, Blake… You got any fun stories to tell about your family?" Blake looked a little out of it, staring at her mother. _'I wonder what's up with her…'_

It turned out that Eve was one of the drivers that would ferry them to their destination, the tight shirt with 'Short and Proud, cuz I'm fucking LOUD!' that was stretched over her sizeable breasts enough to show, even as he got into the car with Sienna and his team. Sienna occupied the space opposite of him and his team, her eyes smouldering with an intensity that was hard to pin-point.

"So…" Nora started, Sienna's gaze turning right to her. There was a fierce look in those eyes. "What's this that I heard about a porno? Are we making a porno?" There was a question there in those eyes, a swift look at Ren, then right at him.

"The idea was offered by our current driver, whose breasts are larger than her brain." Sienna said with a slight huff, the thought uncomfortable to her mind, as if she were objecting to that.

"But you just KNOW that he's got a pussy-slayer down there, Sienna! It'd be a crime not to milk that bastard till he's panting!" The commentary from Eve was definitely unwanted, even as Sienna snarled audibly.

"If I wanted to hear a sick freak talk to me, I'd go listen to the Albain twins moan about how great Faunus are… Seriously…" The huff that she gave was so Sienna that it brought a smile to his face. Her eyes met his. "What're you smiling about, Arc? Something funny about Cow Tits and you going to smash faces in, huh?"

The brash nature of her, the fiery spirit with which she exploded from time to time, was amazing. "Oh, I'm just entertained by how much you care."

Her skin darkened slightly, those eyes even more fierce, fingers grabbing the seat, finger-nails digging into the fabric. "Don't." She said, her voice a little deeper, her eyes narrowing.

"What… what was the use of that Poe-grahm?" Nora asked, Sienna tilting her head, the question making her look thoughtful.

"How to explain it politely so that you humans can understand the wonderful nature of us…" There was a doubt wriggling in her voice as to whether she was able to, even as Eve chuckled.

"We want his foot-long in our hot dog bun." The crude remark was met with an audible hiss of Sienna, the hiss enough to make Pyrrha and Nora jump a little.

"Shut your face. He fought well for a human." The admission that he had was worth more, even as he got comfortable in the seats. "It is basically… a melee. One hundred and fifty Faunus against one. The challenge increases at the start, before tapering off and rising at the end. It is to show… power." The tone of voice that Sienna used was confident, though a little doubtful.

"It is… It is like something inside us. To see someone be able to beat down the others, the lesser…" Her eyes grew fiercer, as she inhaled sharply. "To smash their faces, drive your heel into them and hear them whimper. To show that you are worth your ranking in the hierarchy, to be the one to just pound them into a bloodied raw mess, to show them that you are their queen and that they live to obey you."

The look on her face was magnificent, even as she looked him dead in the eyes, her body language a little tenser. "To show them that you are a man or woman who can lead by the power that you hold. Any challenger that tries to take you down will be defeated, you will tame the wild masses and form them into the pride that you lead…" Her breathing was deeper now, as her gaze met with his, her body shifting a little. "To seize their throats and to make them submit."

"To taste their blood and to hear them plead with you for mercy, to press them down and to take what you are owned by the lesser ones." Her eyes were fierce and thirsty for the blood of those lesser. "That… That is a Pogrom. That is showing your worth to those who adhere to your culture, the worth that you know you have, that you are a champion who rises above the dredges of your nature." There was a purr in her throat, as her eyes looked at him.

"He has done well… Worthy of some praise." It was a compliment, audible to them all. Eve kept silent, no doubt due to Sienna's little speech. "He would go far, as a huntsman."

"And… as your husband?" Nora piped up, Sienna's gaze meeting with his own, even as she seemed to wait for something, something that clued her in… and he felt his hopes be dashed, as she was the first to slide her gaze away, her eyes meeting with Nora's.

"A Faunus and a Human? Together?" There was a tone of incredulity in her voice. _'She doesn't want the bother… I'm just the guy who taught her how to dance.'_

"Eh…" Nora looked flustered, shrinking a little back into her seat in the car. It was an awkward situation, even as she looked everywhere aside from Sienna, Ren taking her hand. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"Of course you did not." There was a tone of understanding in the woman's voice, even as her eyes fixed Nora with a look that meant a clear 'back off that topic'. "Sienna Khan, leader of the White Fang, would not be caught dead with a human in any sort of relationship."

' _That confirms it…'_ Thoughts of Willow and her own situation, captured in a marriage that was on the verge of divorce, it was a bad situation in its own. Two women who were the same in some manners, yet different in others, even as Sienna's gaze slid to Pyrrha, a questioning look on her face.

"I assume that you know the hassles of managing a public persona, Miss Nikos?" The polite tone was enough to lure Pyrrha out, Jaune knew. If it was business, Pyrrha could be trusted on to perform as was needed. The straightening of her body, the tension that entered her back at being inquired of in such a manner, the immediate assumption… He laid a hand on her shoulder. Another look from Sienna, a slight pursing of the lips.

"I do, Miss Khan." The words were easy for Pyrrha, even though he could spot her unease. "It gets a little stressful from time to time, yet I have my team and my partner here to help me out."

"I know the issue. There is always the concept of 'Sienna Khan' to be kept in mind." The smile on Sienna's face could be called frosty in its nature, as her gaze met with Pyrrha's. "There is hardly enough time to go and do the things that you would enjoy, being forced to don the mask of responsibility."

"With your responsibilities as the leader of the White Fang, I can assure you that my troubles are far lighter." The words that she used were enough to make it less important, yet he could see Sienna digging in her heels, in the metaphysical sense.

"This young man would cause Faunus to be discriminated against even more, were he to go public about the Pogrom." The words were calm and cool, as her face smoothed over, the coldness of the High Leader of the White Fang slipping into Sienna's voice. "We would not even be able to deny it. The headline would read 'White Fang pit Hero of Vale in deadly fighting ritual', and it would burn all that I have made to ashes."

"He would never do something to hurt people." Pyrrha leapt to his defense, even as Nora and Ren looked at Sienna, their gaze guarded. _'She's not really that bad.'_

"I know. The young man is an… Unique individual." He knew how hard she had it, with her way of life. "Someone who can play to the masses with his charisma." That was probably a thing, he realized. He wasn't that bad at speeches now in comparison to before. Being a team leader and having some of Willow's moments shoved into his cranium had done wonders for formulating a speech that would fit the purpose, rather than the emotion.

"He certainly is! That's OUR glorious leader!" Nora chirped up, her excitement visible on her face. Sienna looked at Nora for a moment, raising a delicate eyebrow at the exuberance before giving a minute nod. It was admitting superiority, as far as he could see. _'So she thinks that highly of me.'_

"He has his uses. He still does not know how to deal with a Dust Whip though." The training sessions came back to his mind, knowing that Sienna was merciless in them, an embarrassed laugh coming from his mouth.

"Well… I'm improving, am I not?" The fierce look and the snarl that came from her throat told him that those words might have been unwise to voice. Her eyes blazed.

"Whenever I do a leg sweep, it is you who falls. Whenever I advance, you retreat. You should show more of your passion! Seize the advantage, take it." Her voice took that heated tone. "When under attack, retaliate. Force me against the ground using your superior bulk and pin me." Her eyes had that intense quality, even as she leaned forward, her nose nearly touching.

"All I can see is a boy who has not even grown hair on his balls." The words were crude, yet they hit home.

"Hey! He's got more than enough hair on them, Miss Khan!" The Bengal tiger Faunus' head turned to Nora, her expression enough to make the young woman cowed, Ren shifting a little in unease.

"Regardless…" She turned her attention to him again, her eyes blazing. "The young man who could beat two hundred Faunus senseless is a weakling against one woman of similar ranking."

' _So… She wants a challenge.'_ He could work with that. "And what would you give me if I have you pinned, huh? What's in it for me to pin such a tigress to the floor?" He challenged, those eyes burning like the embers of darkness and hellfire.

"More than you could ever hope for, Human." It was a definite purr, a low rumble of her throat that showed just how different she was. Up close, he could smell her perfume, her nose close to his own, the facial features in that challenging manner.

"Are you going to kiss now?" Nora added, and his attention went to her, Sienna mimicking the move perfectly.

"No!" Sienna said, even as his own "No." mingled with hers. Nora shrank back, even as Ren grabbed her hand.

"Do I look like I want to consort with this pathetic little blonde hunk of flesh?" Sienna's voice held the dreadful tone of command, the rings in her Faunus ears moving slightly as they twitched. "That I would submit before this young human for some 'whim'?"

Her words were fierce and with that tone of utter annoyance that was giving way to some anger. "I don't think..."Her eyes blazed as she fixed him with a look.

"You don't think at all, Jaune." Her voice was a low hiss. "Always wasting movement when you could strike. Over-extending, asking whether I am alright... Do you think me weak?"

"No, but-" She hissed at him like a wildcat.

"Do I look like a weakling? Don't I kick that shiny little ass so miss redhead over there can kiss your little boo-boo or some Schnee tart is going to be licking it like it's some prize?" Anger suffused her words, even as he got the image of Willow doing just that.

"You're not weak, Sienna." She nodded.

"Damn right, I am not weak. I am Sienna Khan, owner of your skinny little human ass, Human." The confidence in her voice was enough, as her eyes bored into his own.

"Si, ease up on the threats of bodily harm. Wouldn't want to frighten the kids about your utter lack of social skills." Eve commented, drawing Sienna's attention away.

"I don't need to hear that from you, cow-fleshlight." Eve snorted at the terminology, even as she sighed.

"Hey, at least I admit that I like human dick." Sienna made a not-to-be-reproduced sound in the back of her throat that sounded like a death threat and an indignant sound. "What? I told you that you'd look good on camera... I offered the kids a role in Hero of Vale: White Fang Fuck-Ups."

"Ooh! That's the movie that Jaune spoke of... or is it? Is that the title?" Eve smiled in the rear-view mirror, showing her generous smile, even as she nodded.

"Yep. Produced by the studio that owns my sweet ass... Ooh, and we should totally get Sienna to sign up as well." There was a pause, as Sienna seemed to grow flush.

"I have a career to think about! I cannot just go willy-nilly star in... in that!" The embarrassment flushed her face with heat, as she looked at Eve, who chuckled.

"Didn't stop the Schnee from leaving you in the dust, Si." Jaune wondered what that was all about.

"Is Kali alright? She looked a little out of it?" He asked, trying to change the topic, Sienna snorting lightly at the thought.

"Just a little problem that some of the married people have from time to time." She said, even whilst Eve gave a chuckle.

"Yeah, like you seem to be getting every now and then when there's stress on your menu. You gotta give in, Sienna." Sienna's response was another cuss word that definitely wasn't kind, the woman shaking her head.

"She's just being overly affectionate. It'll pass in a few days or so." The answer seemed to be suffused, yet he drew a blank as to why it was. As the car stopped, Sienna let loose a deep sigh. "Get out, kids."

"I think she really likes you." Nora said, a snort coming from his mouth, even as he gave her a look. _'Right. I don't think I'll ever amount to much more than just 'human' in her eyes.'_

As he watched Ghira get out of the other car, he wondered briefly how the man fared when in such confined spaces with his bulk. With his wife being the slight woman that she was, it was natural that it seemed to be something of a thing for them to alternate, yet his eyes met the man's. The calmness within those eyes was surprising, even as the man gave a slight nod to him. Team RWBY was red-faced and trying desperately not to look at the husband and wife couple, though.

As they walked up to one of the members of staff, Sienna took the lead, striding with casual and yet alert steps to the man. "Reservation for Belladonna." The man took her measure, barely hiding his emotions, yet nodding.

"Allow me to guide you to your table." The man's words were calm as he spoke, taking the measure of their group, something that was similar to relief coming to his eyes as he spotted the humans amongst the Faunus.

He was sat down between Sienna and Ghira, in some measure of... whatever it was. When he asked, Ghira only responded with a 'Because it should be so', with the other Faunus around the table giving a nod, an acknowledgement and a "That's natural, isn't it?" even whilst he shifted a little awkwardly.

With Sienna on his right side and Ghira on his left, he felt a little alienated, even with Kali and Blake sitting opposite of him. A lone human, flanked by the Faunus, his own teammates looking a little surprised at the seating as it was.

"It's got to do with the hierarchy. Consider it... etiquette." Blake offered in manner of explanation, Ruby giving a little 'Ahh!' as she considered that.

"Like with those fancy dining things! Arranged in order of importance! Are you important, Jaune?" She asked, to which he smiled at her. She looked a little shy after he did so, for some reason.

"I don't think I am. I'm just who I am." Ghira grunted, even as Sienna straightened out, Eve at her side giving a little sound in the back of her throat. She relaxed a little in her seat, catching the eye of Blake and giving a wink.

"You should come and meet Adam's girlfriend. She's a dear. Always telling him what a good boy he is, doing things for him. He's been a little under the weather these past days, the poor, poor boy. She's been giving him some... pills?" Blake gave a polite smile that didn't fully reach her eyes, nodding once, Jaune spotting the hesitation within her immediately. He didn't think that the nurse was that bad, but it was just... Yeah, he was happy for Adam.

"Now... Wings! There must be wings." Kali said, nearly vibrating in her seat, as if she were a really happy child. _'It's nice to see an adult who is still able to get excited about food.'_

"Mom..." Blake sighed, even as Kali smiled even broader.

"I'll be sure to save you some grilled fish. My Blake needs to grow big and strong... Don't worry about your tummy, mom is here to make sure that all the worries fly away." The ears went flat immediately, even as Kali fussed a little over Blake, who looked a little pathetic as she allowed the treatment.

"I guess your mom's looking out for you, Blake." Yang said, even as she nudged Blake from her side. "Mine's not much for that type of thing."

He hoped that there'd be a good selection of beef. He was getting a little hungry.

* * *

She sat herself down at the table again with a plate loaded with chicken wings, spicy and sweet mixed together, the aroma invading her nostrils as she inhaled deeply. Watching her little Blake get some more fish piled onto the plate, she gave a soft little sound in the back of her throat, even as her feet brushed over her husband's knees. _'Juuust the way that I like it...'_

She had been feeling a little neglected. The hormones were giving her the jitters, even as her husband's eyes met hers, a minor raised eyebrow enough to draw her attention, yet a soft smile at him, as he got up. _'Aww, daddy cat doesn't want to play...'_

She felt a little stab of loneliness, pouting a little as she looked at her prize of chicken meat, inhaling deeply the smell, her feet already out of the high heels that she had to wear to appear 'proper'. She could see that Sienna was still getting her food, a mixture of fish and chicken and beef already working to sate the appetite that she'd undoubtedly worked up.

"So, Miss Belladonna... How do you like Vale?" The redheaded girl who was called Pyrrha asked, a warm smile on her lips, even as she caught sight of her husband returning together with Jaune, the two of them already getting themselves wrapped in a conversation, the discussion topic being on the Pogrom... a rather crude way of establishing dominance, yet she knew that she was more than happy with the results that it gave to her...

"It is a place where I hold little affection for." As her husband sat down, she caught sight of the look on the girl's face, turning her attention away. Her feet moved, brushing over the knee and then inching closer to the thigh. _'You're going to be dragging me into the bedroom, Ghira...'_

She was the daring one, in comparison to her husband's hesitation. Blake definitely had her spirit inherited from her... as much as it could be, of course. Her toes wriggled over the thighs, tracing the pattern and then working on the groin.

"It is too... smelly, yes. Faunus have senses that are a little better than most humans." A fork clattered, even as her feet found the zipper. _'Thank god for zippers... My big man needs to keep himself available for his wife... always.'_ There was a certain pride in her at the fact that she had kept others away from her man.

She continued, even as a strangled sound came from her husband's side, her ears twitching a little. "Are you alright, dear?" She asked, the voice that responded a little higher in the register.

"O-of course." Her feet continued, even as she directed her attention to the girl again, feeling the fabric that covered her feet there. _'Just the way that I like it.'_

It was an easy thing for someone who had a feline trait to bend, as she manipulated her feet, the long hakama that she wore easily allowing for her motions to be hidden, even as a sharp breath was inhaled by the young man.

"Are you alright?" Her feet continued, her husband's question to the young man who had been a good fighter in the art of the hierarchy sounding a little questioning. _'He's not quite responding...'_ She would fix that. All it needed was juuuuust a little bit more effort on her part.

She slid a little lower in the seat, feeling the warmth below her feet. _'Ooh... nice.'_

"So... The Faunus don't really like the smell of Vale?" The redheaded girl asked, and she could smell the smell of the chicken, even as she seized one of the chicken wings in both hands, tearing off some of the spiced meat and feeling a burst of joy go through her body, a slow little rumble that came with the feeling that she was a great woman... more than what she had expected.

"It's more a... chemical smell? Hard to describe if you don't smell it yourself." She could hear heavier breathing with her sensitive ears, chancing a glance at the young ginger woman sat beside her current conversation partner. She could hear the blonde partner of Blake say something to her, nudging her side, her little kitten's response more deadpan than before...

 _'_ _She needs to have a good roll in the hay with a nice boy or girl! That'll make her moody little kitten mood fly off!'_

Her feet sped up slightly, and she could hear her husband engage Sienna's boy in conversation, her ministrations continuing, even as she detected no strain in her husband's voice. _'Damn you and your formal nature! It's so hard to make you respond...'_ "So, what is your opinion on how it was handled?"

"W-well, sir... I, ah..." There was a shyness in the boy's tone, even as he seemed to be a little distracted. _'Who wouldn't be distracted by this glorious food?'_ "I thought it was... nice? I mean, w-when, ah..." There was a heavy exhale, her man's understanding sound enough for her to know that he was again being his understanding self.

"It is not usual for humans to be subjected to such a thing. Pogrom are harsh, cruel and they determine the status." There was a logical aspect, even as she continued to work, her conversation with the redheaded girl slipping into an explanation about scent things.

Every Faunus with certain traits had a very advanced sense of scent. It was enough to determine whether someone liked someone or not. She could hear on the background that Eve and Sienna were answering questions from the Schnee girl and her partner, the Ruby girl giving an enthusiastic explanation about Dust round aerodynamics, whilst the Schnee girl politely inquired whether the requirements to be a leader on the global level were anything worth aspiring to.

"It was... n-nice..." She could feel the warmth explode, even as she gave a smug little grin, knowing that she'd achieved her goal. A little sniff determined that it had been successful, her feet tucking the little treat away and then giving a polite smile to her conversational partner. "Kali." Her husband asked, making her finally turn her head to face the direction of her husband...

And the other three Faunus, giving her a look that most definitely was a little chilly. Sienna's eyes blazed, Jaune's face crimson... even as she realized that he was seated opposite of her. _'Well... Oops?'_

"Oops?"

Her feet retreated immediately, the oddly wet-warm squish as they fit inside the high heels again, Blake's mouth half-opened in a manner, even as her husband fixed her with a look.

That look generally meant 'You're going to apologize, and you're going to be keeping it private', the communication between the two of them always having been understood as easily as it could be. She saw that the young blonde man was straightening out a little, a flush on his cheeks.

"The... the wings are rather spicy." He said, with his voice a little breathless, even though his plate had not contained any of the wings, the fork pricking a spice of spicy beef on it. "Or... beef."

"Kali, a word, please?" Sienna's formal tone of speaking was firm, even as the High Leader of the White Fang got up, her eyes promising murder, death and torture, even as Ghira's eyes met with Sienna's, obviously trying to temper the woman's rage. _'You don't touch another woman's man if she's staked a claim...'_

The squish of every step was enough to remind her that she was pretty much going to be sleeping on the couch for a while. Sienna nearly dragged her into the ladies' room, finding it to be empty, which was a good thing, pushing her right into the empty stall and sitting her down.

"What in the ever-loving name of the gods are you thinking, you horny street cat?" Sienna's eyes genuinely were angry, even as Kali pulled her high heel off, holding it out for Sienna.

"He... he's at least got a big sausage?" She tried, yet Sienna's eyes turned even more murderous. Incoherent sounds came from the younger Faunus' throat, even as she locked eyes with her. "I mean, I thought it was Ghira! I didn't expect them to change seats! It's not allowed!"

Sienna's eyes looked ready to kill. Kali knew very well that if the woman desired it to be, she would be dead. Sienna Khan was a violent radical who had fought and bled for the cause, trying to garner respect through the application of violence and causing fear for the Faunus to be the ones to gain equality... and she was not feeling confident that she was getting out of this unscathed.

"Don't interfere on my territory." Sienna hissed. It was both good news as well as dreadful news, as Sienna had declared it so. "You can do whatever you like to your husband... But what's mine is _mine_."

"Hey... eh..." She saw Sienna growl, grabbing the toilet roll and then making a wad of paper.

"Clean yourself up. You smell." The command was given and Kali obeyed. Sienna looked like she was going to just burn her to cinders if she had any sense about it, her eyes glowering. "And if I catch you doing anything to my human again..." The threat was clear, and Kali knew that it was serious.

Every Faunus woman who had staked her claim on her partner would fight any challengers that appeared. It was not formal yet, but Kali could see that desire in Sienna as much as it had burned in her own eyes. "Of course... But... You're lucky." The proud look on Sienna's face was like that.

"I am."

She said, Kali nodding to herself. Sienna always had problems with spitting out the truth to people she liked. She would think one way and then say the worst thing possible, sabotaging her own chances due to her uncertainty.

"And... does he know?" Sienna's face fell, even as Kali rubbed her sock, a tutting sound coming from her mouth.

"You should tell him, Sienna. Young men like to know where they stand, just as much as young women. If you don't watch out, he's going to get snatched away..." Sienna's eyes were angry again, even as she bit her lower lip. "I know Blake's gotten sweet on him."

A blink from Sienna, a dawning comprehension in those eyes. "Well, she can go and fuck off. Mine." There was a definite tone in her voice that she would hurt Blake. Kali sighed. Sienna was a lot of things, but good at intimate conversation... she was not.

"I'll say that it's a good thing... I guess." She said, trying to smoothen things a little. "You've got competition." Sienna's growl was bestial, even as she pulled out a small makeup kit. "Work on it a little and he'll be the one who'll be putty in your hands."

Sienna's answer did not surprise her, even as they emerged nearly five minutes later, smiles and a brief glint in her eyes as she looked at Jaune, who seemed to be much calmer... save for the fact that his cheeks were a little hot. "Sorry." She whispered in his ear.

Her husband's little nod was enough to confirm that it was good in his eyes. _'At least the other girls and guy didn't notice much about it. The boy though...'_ She sniffed a little deeper, giving Sienna a little nudge and a wink. _'She's going to be in for a treat.'_

An older woman like her was allowed a little leeway with how things were happening, after all.

"Is everything alright, mom?" Blake asked, even as she winked and then leaned over.

"Of course, dear. Just a little bit of a... faux pas." That was putting it rather delicately, Blake giving her a look and then fixing Jaune with a brief glance. "Nothing to worry about. Sienna was just fixing my makeup."

That was the excuse that she would go with, after all. She'd die on that hill.

* * *

He felt awkward, even as he adjusted his pants a little, aware that one of his friend's mother had just done... something pretty daring. He figured that it might have something to do with whatever it was, even as Sienna sat down next to him, moving her lips close to his ear. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." He didn't really know what to say right now, even though it had been nearly five minutes since Kali and Sienna had marched off to the bathroom. Neither Weiss nor Yang seemed to have noticed something, aside from Ruby, who didn't inquire further. Nora and Ren gave him a look, even as Pyrrha tried her best to inquire with Ghira about some Menagerian specialities.

"That will not happen again." The woman said, her lips moving from his ear, adjusting her manner. "I expect you to be aware of that next time, Mister Arc." The words were formal and the grin on her lips was natural... or at least appearing natural to the eyes of the people who weren't Faunus. Her ears, the Faunus one, were moving slightly, twitching, her expression as placid as it could be, yet the food bitten into with a manner that seemed to imply that she'd rather tear it off a bone like some wild predator. _'Damn...'_

It had been mostly thanks to Willow's memories of etiquette that he had managed to maintain his poker face. In situations where one might be embarrassed, one always had to act collected, even if the wife of a world leader started to give you a hard time. It had been awkward, the embarrassment that had flickered into her face enough to show that she had indeed made the mistake. _'I should've just sat back in the same seat... She must've mistaken me for Ghira.'_ The man had been a good conversationalist on certain topics about the White Fang, the man knowing a lot about the political interests of his people and their status in the world, even whilst his wife had been... mistaken.

Husbands and wives did silly little things like that. He could remember the time when Saphron had chased Terra through the house starkers, giggling about how she was going to capture her and make her purr. It had been an awkward moment when he looked up, only to see Terra freeze at the sight of him, Saphron tackling her to the floor and giggling soon afterwards, only to look up and go "Jaune! Go and do something else, outside! We're busy!", chasing him out of the house.

Nearly two hours later, he was back at the airship docks, feeling tired. He could see that Sienna's eyes were on him like a hawk, the comment from Nora about 'Sienna looking like she wants to eat him' probably not being too far from the truth of the matter.

It would be alright, though. Sienna had her 'general meeting' with Ghira and the other members of the White Fang in not too long, he was ready to get himself prepared for that mission that had been hinted at by the teachers…

"How do you mean, we need to be prepared for the dance?" He asked Professor Goodwitch, who had spoken about the dance in the passing, her stern countenance directing a look at him which didn't speak very grandly of his imaginative ability.

"As Miss Xiao-Long and Miss Schnee have already presented their plan, it would be usual for students to partner up. You'd do well to be prepared for the gathering of students from all across Remnant."

He caught sight of Yang doing a little fist-pump, even as he looked at the clock. "Dismissed." The professor's tone was stern… and now, he had a problem.

He needed a date for the dance.

* * *

 **Allow me to tell you that having a needle shoved into your spine hurts like hell. I'm asleep a lot, so writing isn't on the highest priority right now.**

 **And here we see the Belladonna Felis acting like her natural self. I didn't write it out fully, but she did indeed, give him a footjob. Why? It fits. Kali is the maternal one, who doesn't stop worrying about those she cares for. Add a cocktail of hormones, pheromones and just general neediness of a housecat into the mix (There's a reason there's a saying about cats in March over here…) and you get one very dazed and horny Kali.**

 **She'd vote for Blake if it came to Sienna Versus Blake, but she's also aware that Jaune probably has feelings for Sienna. Mom's instincts, I would probably term it.**

 **Next chapter: Asking a girl out on a date to the dance, White Fang issues... Plus, a Yang!**

 **Also: Willow makes an appearance there too, as far as I've planned it.**


	29. Coupé

**Chapter 29: Coupé**

 **Warning: severe topics included. Consider this a warning. References to a Samantha were removed, after someone actually noticed that I'd used that name instead of Amanda. Thanks, Razmire!**

* * *

It wasn't supposed to be this way, he knew. As soon as the Scroll flicked on and the message came to him, he knew something was wrong. _'This isn't right.'_ He could see the look on his friend's face, ready to take the punishment, enough of the pain visible, even as he smiled.

"Hey Jaune, I just wanted to say that we're going on a little trip together." The experiences of Willow had taught him much about body language, had taught him more than the basics of the world as it worked for him, the look in Adam's eyes there, as Eve gave a pleasant wave and Amanda rubbed a hand over the brother and sister's heads, as he noticed. "We might be back in a week's time."

Eve remained silent, even as he caught sight of a twitch of a muscle, something pinging in the back of his mind about the effort, even as he began to compile the looks, his eyes looking to the clock for an instant, checking the time. "How nice." He said, though his voice sounded perfectly happy, there was a worry in his heart, the way that he saw the byplay enough, Amanda speaking up.

"Thank you for being Adam's friend." The words were odd, even as he caught sight of slightly glazed eyes.

"He's a wonderful man. Well… have a good time. Are you leaving today?" He mentally compiled a list with reasonable flights towards some of the outlying settlements, Willow's mathematical impulse already starting to equate the salary of the three of them to a certain point.

"Oh, after a few preparations…" Amanda was the one who spoke, Adam's gaze looking at her with eyes that held affection, love and care… and Jaune felt like he'd been hit in the chest.

"Alright, I'll go and tell Sienna." The words were enough to make Adam frown.

"Tell her? But…" Jaune smiled, even as he nodded.

"She's nominally your boss, isn't she?" He could see Amanda's eyes switching between Adam and Eve, contemplating something.

"Well… Yes… But can you do that for me? I'd like to spend time with my girlfriend." Jaune's smile was friendly on the surface, yet his eyes hardly smiled, though it wasn't as visible with the quality of his Scroll.

' _This is NOT good.'_ The call disconnected after a few minutes, and he got up, motioning for his team to follow after him, walking across the hallway to the room that team RWBY owned, knocking on the door once. It was awkward, especially after Kali had… done such a thing, but it was something that he could shove aside. People had… different expressions of love. It was a natural thing, for Faunus, apparently. He was happy that none of the humans had noticed.

Knocking on the door, he shifted from foot to foot impatiently, his eyes watching carefully as Ruby opened up the door, her hood on her shoulders, the uniform already. "Ruby, is Blake there?" His voice held an urgency, even as Ruby gave a slow nod.

"Yes, but…" The hesitation in her voice was there, even as he looked past her, catching sight of Yang currently half-dressed, Blake in the process of bending over and flashing him a look that was half-angry.

"Blake, get your gear… Actually, all of you get your gear." The worry in his voice was real, as they turned to him. Weiss, dressed in her school uniform, looked at him with a look that was suspicious, even as Blake turned to look at him, her stance changing to a slightly open one, showing what she had on sale today… definitely showing off the toning of her body to him.

"What's the matter?" He could speak, but he didn't want to waste time.

"We're saving Adam's privates." The signs had been there and he had ignored them, happy for his friend that he had found someone who wanted him, Eve joining in… and it had been all so normal. The surprised look on the face of the Faunus girl was enough, even as he turned around, marching into his dorm and then pulling his new rifle out, putting it on his back, just in the case that things were going to get hairy, Crocea Mors and the sheath at his side, his face serious.

"What's the matter, Jaune? " Pyrrha asked, even as she got into her armour, the greaves fastened once more, her eyes resolute. They obeyed his orders, even if they were strange. Schools like this were really ill-managed, even as he dialled the number that Professor Ozpin had given him.

"Mister Arc, a surprise…" There was a drowsy tone to the man's voice, even at eight in the morning.

"I need RWBY and JNPR excused from classes. Do you remember the thing that we spoke about? I got some seriously bad vibes from a friend of mine and I need to have the day off, I'll make it up to you if you want. One favour." The man's face changed to one that was more serious, nodding once.

"If you think it is necessary… Please do try to limit things to one international incident per term, Mister Arc. Given our… topic of discussion, it would be in your best interest that this is kept… quiet." The man's voice was enough to push home the fact, even as Jaune sought for the terms that would be best to describe the situation.

"A Three-Twelve Vale One-Seven." The somewhat colloquial code used by the legal world to speak of the invasion of a home and the freeing of someone who has been held captive, the Headmaster of Beacon looking at him for a moment, a sense of tension.

"Suspicion?" The word was simple, as the man worked around the law. Huntsmen were allowed some extrajudicial powers, if it came to their employment, as they functioned as the de facto policemen in the other districts, or, with the sanction of the Council or a high functionary, could be put in as detectives.

"Three-Nine." The man's face showed irritation. The code was simple. If it had been the reverse, it would have been Nine-Three, but he didn't care about that.

"It is… unusual, yet I do not think that it would be a bad lesson. Consider this a training mission." The man was risking much, even as he did so, the Scroll beeping once, showing that there had been a mission assigned. "Even if your worries are unfounded, the budget allows for training exercises… And an apology is easily written off with the guise of youth." The man was definitely helping him out, perhaps out of altruism, perhaps out of the need for something.

"I'll try not to shame your confidence, sir." He knew that he was playing a dangerous game here. If he was merely interpreting the signs wrongly, he would be making a fool out of him, granted, a concerned fool, but not something that would let him be incarcerated, with official backing.

"See to it that you don't, Mister Arc. You are one of the hopefuls of this year's batch, so… please don't try to make relations between Human and Faunus take another hit." The man's voice was calm and collected, even as he shifted slightly in his manner of seating, catching sight of Ruby and her team already getting out of their room.

It might be overkill, but he didn't want to have to suffer through something like a debacle at the docks again. It might just be a quick in-and-out job, but there was still damage control to be done. "Alright, we're getting the first bullhead down in order to get to Adam's place." The connection with the Headmaster was broken then, as he looked at his own team, Pyrrha's eyes looking fiercer as she arranged her weapons a little, Nora looking ready to go.

"What's the situation?" Ruby asked, her voice sounding a little muted, even with his eyes going to the Bullhead docks, his eyes looking at the pilots that were standing a little away. "Suspected abuse of a friend of mine. The redhead Faunus twins, the one with the big chest and Blake's ex."

"Why would you need two Huntsmen teams for that?" Ruby asked, something immediately coming to his mind about the handling of public affairs.

"One for engaging with the person in need, the other for making sure that there isn't a riot or something by defusing the civilians from investigating. One side handles the crowd, the others go in. SDC procedure is to have two teams ready, one for crowd control and the second to go in for the clean-up." Military-like procedures were important when dealing with that thing, Willow knew it well.

His Scroll rang, and he didn't recognize the number, motioning for Ruby to go ahead. "Get us a bullhead, we should have clearance to depart if we do it right."

He opened the call, seeing the stern visage of a Schnee looking right at him. "Mister Arc, I would like to-" The call wasn't enough to make him feel any less frustrated, shaking his head.

"You'd like a lot, but I'd like it if you called me back later. Mission's a go, so please, call back later." The woman's face showed irritation at his refusal, as her eyes blazed. _'Your mother looks prettier when she's all fired up.'_

"This is in order for the security of –" The Scroll connection cut off as he pressed the off button.

"What a bitch." He mumbled, shaking his head. Weiss didn't say a word, as she looked at him. There was a certain morose air around her, as she seemed to be convening her thoughts onto herself, thinking about how things are and how they were.

"Hey, she's not… She's not a bitch." Weiss said, her voice soft, as she looked at him.

"You probably wouldn't have a mother if I hadn't…" He paused, his expression angry, as he shook his head. "If Ren hadn't been…" The look on her face, the pallid colour of her features during that one time, when the terror had gripped his heart.

"I don't think you would have to like her, but… She's trying." Weiss looked complicated, even as he looked at the remaining members of team RWBY. "Yang and Ruby don't really have much of a mother, Blake's mother is a little odd, but warm and…" He subconsciously moved closer to the girl, laying a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes looked right up, her cheeks flushing. "Your mother is at least trying to talk to you, trying to get to know the two of you again, or she wouldn't have come. She wouldn't have invited you out for dinner if she didn't want to know you."

"But…" Weiss started, even as Jaune looked at her with a look that told her to keep silent.

"Yang's mom told me to put a few babies in her, giving me a once-over and approving of me. She tried to stab me, I mean… your mom hasn't tried to stab me yet. I've not met Ruby's mom yet, but… If she's been the example that gave us Yang, I would like to thank her for making her so vibrant and alive." Yang, who was definitely listening in, turned red in the face, coughing awkwardly.

"Just because she's your mother, you should cherish the moments when you are with her. You're not just Weiss Schnee, daughter of Jacques… You're the daughter of your mother and your father, and if that doesn't feel good… work on it. Try to see how they could have become such people… though I will say that your dad is a prime-grade asshole." The words didn't make much sense, but Weiss looked a little taken aback by the words.

"If I had daughters like that… They'd probably get to call me dad." Weiss shuddered lightly, as if she was already imagining the horror of that situation.

"Oh? Going to be called Daddy by the small girls… Why, Weiss… Don't you want him to be your daddy? Telling you a bedtime story, tucking you in at night and giving you a good night kiss…" Yang's teasing voice was enough, even as he caught Ruby looking back at him, rapidly gesturing at the pilot that she was talking to.

The banter was to pass the time, as he waited for Ruby to do what she did best: convince people of her righteousness of her cause. He looked Yang into the eyes, even as Weiss spluttered something about how she'd 'never do that'. "Oh, perhaps you are going to be daddy's girl, hmmm? Walking through the house in nothing but a shirt, knowing that you'll have a baby of your own in a while…" His hands slid from Weiss, seizing Yang's chin, the blonde's breathing stopping for the moment, his mouth close to her ear. "Making your mom a grandmother, just with the hottest blonde man that you've always been wanting."

Willow Schnee knew how to tease, goad and to cajole. "Imagine that, Yang… your teasing ending up with you on your back, hands groping over your body, telling of desire. You want to struggle, but in the end… You want to be claimed." A shudder, as she whimpered. "How's that for a fantasy?"

A deep sigh came from her, as she shuddered. She didn't respond, so he continued along. "Hands pinned above your head, your eyes looking up at the man who's doing the claiming… Can you see it already? The strong and sexy Yang Xiao-Long pressed to the ground, a hand tracing over her neck and then gripping it, choking that air off." There was a trick to this, spotting the tells of the body language as it happened. Yang's eyes were unfocused, her purplish gaze directed right at him.

"And when you're allowed to breathe…" She inhaled, her eyes focusing on him with an intensity in those purple depths, even as he leaned close, his mouth close to her ear. A gross breach of personal space, but he let that slide. "Just whispering at him to claim you, to make you a woman worth marrying… And popping out a few kids who'll turn out just as well as Ruby. You've done really well with Ruby, Yang."

Yang's little gasp and moan took him by surprise, as she leaned heavily against him. "If you do that again, I will fucking pin you against the wall and make sure that you get what you deserve for teasing me like that, Jaune." Her voice was a throaty sound that held affection within it, the sound of a woman who seemed to have made her mind up, even as she pulled away. He had been messing around with her, using sensual terms even when they weren't that close. They were friends, sure, but to go so far as to tease right back with such loaded terms…

' _She's a good girl though._ ' Yang's smirk grew even bigger, as she grabbed Blake and pulled her arms behind her back, Blake's eyes widening.

"And here's a cat who wouldn't mind to call you daddy, right?" The look on Blake's face was mortified, even as she struggled a little in Yang's grip.

"Hey, Yang! Stop it!" Blake struggled, even as Yang's grip increased.

"Come on, admit that you want to be Jaune's little pussycat!" The teasing continued, even as he tuned them out. Weiss gave the two of them a queer look, shaking her head and then looking down at herself.

"I got us a flight!" Ruby said, smiling brightly, looking at the going-ons, even as Jaune glanced at Nora and Ren and Pyrrha already getting busy with their prep. "Come on guys! Stop horsing around, Yang and Blake!"

"Sure thing, sis!" The cheerful response came from Yang as she moved, letting go of Blake, who seemed a little frazzled by the attentions of the busty blonde, a low sigh coming from her mouth as she shook her head, irked by the feeling that she'd just experienced.

As they all filtered into the Bullhead, the pilot gave them a warning look. "Alright, since you've got permission from the big man, I'll drop you off a street further than the mission site, according to the official data that I've been sent. You kids better keep still and don't make a mess, I don't want to have to clean her again."

Jaune wasn't sure whether he'd gotten a reputation for such a thing, yet he believed that the pilot had glanced in his direction when he'd said so. "Of course, sir!" Ruby came to the rescue, even as they lifted off. His stomach started to rumble and roil, the breakfast that he'd hurriedly consumed before starting to swirl around in his stomach, threatening to get out again.

' _If I can make it…'_

* * *

She looked into the mirror without any sort of shyness, her bare flesh standing there at her perusal, the fine curves that had worked well over the years at getting her what she wanted now restored. It was the faint malaise that she settled in, even as she started on getting dressed, the body clothed with the official outfit that would see her through the steps that would allow for the biggest decision in her life now.

' _I won't let my daughters be primped up whores for Atlas' war machine.'_ It was a loss for the company to lose Jacques, yet the people that he had hired still were amongst the best in the field. His eye for talent would be enough, and he could stay on as the CEO, should it be needed…

A coolness settled in her stomach, even as she considered the option and then threw it aside. _'A divorce would just worry the world…'_

Her own security wasn't something that she was overly concerned about. She was able to survive pretty well, as far as things went…

She sat before the screen nearly thirty minutes later, waiting for the call to connect. Her husband's face appeared on the screen, bigger than it was in real life. "I assume that you have good reasons for calling me?"

He didn't even call her by name, or any sort of hello or greeting beforehand, his eyes dispassionately staring at her with a look that was as empty as the former Dust mines at Mantle. "Husband, I think it would be time that you joined us in Vale. The Vytal Festival is a good time in order to ensure that we have a new stream of backers to join us…" The words were delivered calmly, as she watched him. With a touch of makeup, her face resembled her older one, even as she looked at the man. A smug, satisfied smile sat on his face.

A smile that she would rather wipe out with her fist, keeping the man's face as a target whilst she delivered the beatdown of a lifetime of pain and humiliation on him. "Can you not handle it?" The man asked, as if she were merely a sales clerk, rather than his wife. She did not show any sort of disapproval, even as she schooled her lips into a smile that did not reach her eyes.

"It would be a sign of good trust if the husband and wife of the Schnee Dust Company were to appear in public." The glass of apple juice at her side was raised, even as he frowned in disapproval, the façade kept up with style. "You know the plebeian masses…"

The man scoffed, as he often did when she referred to those lesser in status. "It would indeed make for a good sales pitch. Do be sure to dress for the occasion, I want no scandal to be uttered about your manner of dress. I will have the secretary send over the itinerary, once I have finalized the transport of the latest shipments."

The connection cut out, even as she narrowed her eyes, a shake of the head enough, as she called another number after ensuring that her surroundings were clear, her Scroll connecting to the big screen and letting the call tune beep for a moment. The call connected, Sienna's annoyed – "What do you want, Dusty?" – coming from the speaker.

"Busy?" She inquired, even as her fingers brushed over the wedding ring on her finger, a necessary evil that had been donned in order to give the illusion of marriage to the outside world.

"About to head to a meeting, the whole world's going tits-up and feeling like I want to maul one of my oldest friend's wife, yeah… A bit." The annoyance within Sienna's voice was real, even as she nodded at the tone that Sienna showed.

"Negotiations about a truce are to be done tonight. Prepare yourself well and my husband may be willing to sign it at the Vytal Festival ball." She left that information with Sienna, even as she waited for the response.

"I'll be there at nine, provided these assholes don't keep me for too long. I hate general meetings, especially when the wife of the former leader has challenged me… Bah." The annoyance in her friend's voice was something that she noticed immediately, raising an eyebrow at the sound.

"Something bad?" She inquired, polite in her tone as she spoke.

"Jaune got a footjob by Kali." The blink that Willow did was unexpected, as her eyebrows rose up in surprise.

"I wasn't aware that she was a challenger for his affections." There was the implicit understanding between the two of them even as Sienna made a hacking sound in the back of her throat.

"That moron decided to switch seats and Ghira was too polite to inform him of the etiquette. It is… Argh, it's too difficult to explain to someone who doesn't know the proper ways… She mistook him for her husband, end of story." Willow allowed her a little smile.

"And, how did she experience it?" She inquired, Sienna making an audible hissing sound through the connection. "Alright, alright… I won't ask any more. You go and do your thing, Khan the kitty, I'll do my own thing."

The sound of Sienna growling like an angry wildcat made her shake her head, as the connection was broken by her own hand, knowing that the woman would be irate enough when they met up for their meeting that evening.

A small sacrifice to make, in return for the tale of how Kali Belladonna gave Jaune a footjob.

* * *

The door stood there, even as he waited, a smile on his face as he tried to affect the professional attitude with which a Huntsman was supposed to act. He knew that Adam's girlfriend would be home, if there was at least something to be gleaned from the schedule that he'd looked up. As he'd been at the clinic, he knew decently the schedule of most of the staff, as it wasn't a huge secret about who was on duty when. The privacy of the patients was guaranteed, yet the staff's schedule was not.

"Ah, Adam's friend." Amanda said as she opened the door up a little, a flicker of something below the surface of her facial muscles speaking some more stories of her mood, as her eyes glanced down at him, before going right back up again. There was nervousness around her.

"We're here to check up on Adam." The words seemed to jolt her a little.

"He's… He's resting, the poor dear's had a tough day." The woman's voice was a little nervous, and Jaune wondered briefly whether he was allowed to investigate.

"I'd still like to speak to him. I'm here at the behest of-" The door was slammed in his face, a dismissal if he ever saw it.

"I guess it's time for option two then… Pyrrha…" The redheaded girl nodded, her Semblance tearing the lock right out of the door, as well as the doorknob and some of the fittings. Jaune could see that Amanda had already left the door, obviously expecting something like this. "Hostage situation, I reckon…"

Nora and Ren were the first to enter the house. Part of the more mobile members of team JNPR, the lightfooted Ren was able to scale the stairs leading up to the first floor apartment in an instant, moving with deliberate speed, whilst Nora moved right after him. "Ruby, make sure that nobody interferes." The nod that the red-cloaked girl gave was enough for him, as he turned to the others, as he and Pyrrha ascended, walking with the pace of Huntsmen, each moving like a well-oiled machine.

He could hear a scream from upstairs and an enthusiastic Nora going 'Wha-heeeyyy!' as she did something, Ren's softer voice shouting – "Found him!" as he reached the top of the stairs, Pyrrha only a step behind him. He could see Amanda pressed against a wall, Nora's massive war hammer held up against her, the civilian threatened by the large hammer, not trying to fight.

"He belongs to me… no, they belong to me. Such pretty cows… He was really cute when I first saw him, so I added a little extra ingredient to the medication, juuuust a little bit of flunitrazepam to make him happier… He's such a good little man, he's going to be the daddy to my baby, I just know it…" Jaune shuddered, as he looked at the woman, glancing at Pyrrha.

"Deal with her, please… Call the VPD, say that we've got a situation here with abduction and relationship abuse, female to male. Possibly a medic as well, depending on the condition of the abductee." The terms were something that he fibbed, not sure about how to officially call it in, but Pyrrha nodded, understanding what he was getting at.

"Of course." He walked further, towards the direction of the bedroom, spotting Ren already in the process of getting Adam loose from the bed that he'd been tied to. The dazed expression on his face and the bleeding gashes on his chest that spelled out his girlfriend's name definitely made him think that Adam'd been drugged. That he was naked as the day that he had been born and that there was a MINE carved above the base of his groin, the hair almost surgically shaved away to carve the words into the flesh, was something that made him feel queasy.

"Are you okay, Adam?" He asked, the dazed expression fading slowly.

"Where is… Eve?" The question chilled him, as he remembered Eve's little message, his gaze going around the room. "She said that she loved me, but that my sister was a… thing in the way?" The message had held the both of them, and he felt a rush of something go through him, as he moved from the bedroom to the guest room, coming to see a woman, laid on the bed.

He saw the chest rise and fall, the pale globes of flesh visible to her eyes, even as he could see the damage that'd been done to her body, just because he'd been… late.

 _'First, to get that out…'_

The woman would have curled up, the moment that he pulled the wooden bat out, noticing with minor fascination that this was going to hurt quite a lot, only a soft exhale coming from her lips, even as they moved softly. His gaze caught sight of something on a small side-table, laid in a dish and his vision turned blurry for a moment, as the slab of flesh became clear and horror found a solid home inside him.

' _Fuck…'_

"Nora, knock that woman out!" He paused for an instant, running through the codes he'd known.

"Pyrrha! Get a medic here, stat! Category Four!" The terminology was something that had been given a meaning during the Leadership classes. A Category Four was 'grievous bodily harm to one or two civilian individuals/people of weakened will and ability'.

A dull smack and quiver ran through the wall, even as his hands went to the medical restraints that kept the woman tied to the bed, even as her eyes seemed to tear up a little and she shivered. He looked down at her, to see that there was…

' _Fuck. Why is…'_

He would've been sick, if he hadn't been through the emotional thing with Willow before, when she had nearly died. His Aura sputtered to life as he summoned the blazing power within him, forcing it into the woman. If it had helped for Willow, who had been on the verge of death, he could heal this woman as well.

It was not that he cared overly much for Eve, or that the connection between them was more than just the friend of a friend and the sister to a brother… As a brother himself, he felt obligated to try. Glyphs appeared around him, casting a glow over his body, as the effects started to work. The skin seemed to stress slightly, as bruises seemed to flash into being once more, the feeling of pain and agony enough, even as a low groan came from the mouth of Eve, her eyes tearing up, yet the Glyphs continued to work, the power that the Schnee Semblance had to its own working in order to ensure that there would be a positive result, rather than one of his friends hurt through this world.

As he fed her with his aura, her body twitched and twisted, even as the mess between her legs seemed to slowly stop, the feeling of her own aura brushing against his own, the feeling enough to make him gag and vomit, yet, as he did so, his body felt the rush, the look on Eve's face turning from near-apathy towards something even more emotional, as tears came from her body.

' _Come on, come on… Adam wouldn't want you to live life as a broken shell… No matter what was done to you… I will be the hero that you need.'_

The pain inside his body was starting to hurt, even as he forced his Aura inside her body, the hand that laid on her flesh connecting the two of them, even as the Glyphs disappeared, a ragged gasp coming from her mouth, even as blue eyes looked up at him. His gaze went down, as he breathed heavily, his eyes closing as he felt the last remnant of his Aura sputter, Eve's body moving, even as he dropped to the ground, feeling how his body ached and screamed for rest, heedless of the mess that he'd found himself in. "Thank… you…" The soft voice of Eve Taurus spoke, this time with a tongue to vocalize the words.

The pain in his nerves was like a constant buzz of irritation as he was lifted up by one of the VPD's finest, the man offering him some words of comfort whilst two of his fellows, women from the sight of their jackets, busied themselves with getting Eve pulled off the bed.

He was helped into the living room of the apartment, Adam looking morose as he locked eyes with her. "How is she, Jaune?" His voice sounded clearer, his eyes a little more lucid, even with the gaze remaining as it was. "Is she…"

"She cut out her tongue, Adam." He didn't mention the brutalization by baseball bat. Adam nodded.

"She's… She's been more adventurous. Ever since Eve joined us for one go, she's been… It's been hard to think straight…" The look on his face was haunted, even as Ren placed a hand onto Adam's shoulder again, the clarity returning immediately to those eyes.

"We went to have dinner last night. She said it'd be nice to have dinner as a family, that we'd be forever together…" A hesitant tone of voice, even as he looked at Jaune. "I woke up the next morning with her telling me that we were going to be making a little video. We were… we were going on a trip. She'd…"

He looked at Jaune for a while. "She made me watch." He shuddered. "Cow tongue soup…"

"That's horrible." Jaune said aghast, as he looked at his friend, a man who had been cold at the start, diagnosed with something that he had to receive treatment for… and now… "I did my best, she's… She's a bit better now." The look of gratitude in his eyes was enough for Jaune to shudder, feeling his feet turn to lead as he weighed the options.

"Good… I may…" The man paused, as Eve was escorted by the two police officers, the two women looking grave, a blanket wrapped around the Faunus woman's shoulders, covering her naked form. "Hey, sis." The emotion in his voice was enough, as tears welled up from his eyes, the mark on his face standing out like an angry scar.

"Ah-damn." The tongue moved, an odd experience for her, as the red-haired Faunus sister looked at her brother. "I love you, little brother." The man nodded, not going in for a hug. It was not the time for that yet, it felt. She reached out with a hand, seemingly for a handshake, which he awkwardly gave. "I'm not gonna let you go."

Jaune supposed that he was going to have to get them a get well card at the very least, even as Adam and Eve were led away with all the privacy that could be mustered, catching the spot on the wall where Magnhild had made an impression.

"That was a good call, Jaune." Pyrrha said, even as irritation rolled around in his guts, knowing that he had done the worst thing for Adam by not immediately intervening… _'I'm a horrible friend.'_

"I should call Professor Ozpin…" He dialed the number for the Professor, feeling hesitation go through him. Professor Goodwitch stared back at him from the video conversation, the strict deputy giving him a look that meant 'this better be important or I will kneecap your silly little ass like it's detention'. "Professor Goodwitch, could you inform Professor Ozpin that the mission has completed?" The video feed appeared and he noticed that there was a streak of blood on his cheek, already left there from the moment that he had collapsed, the smell of the place growing even worse.

 _'What would have happened if I hadn't been fast enough.'_

"I am pleased to hear that you have been successful in your mission, Mister Arc." The Headmaster's voice sounded, even as the screen shifted and he could see the headmaster stand next to a tall man in a white military uniform, as well as Ruby and Yang's uncle, who blinked and looked at him. "Status report."

"Mission success, retrieval of Taurus, Adam and Taurus, Eve from the house of partner of Taurus, Adam, based on suspicion and ill feeling of ease around partner of Taurus, Adam. Recovered Taurus, Adam, mild injuries and lacerations on the body. Recovered Taurus, Eve, excised tongue, apparent excessive genital trauma." The emotionless tone of reporting was enough, even as the men grimaced, a faint sound coming from behind the Scroll, made be professor Goodwitch that sounded suspiciously like a 'fuck', though the woman would probably never ever swear, if it came to that.

"Any chance of the White Fang retaliating about this incident, Mister Arc?" The man in white asked, and Jaune sighed, calculating the chances of that and finding them to be 'unlikely'.

"As far as it looks, I would assume that such a chance would be marginal, going by the organizational structure and the fact that the upper brass is currently in a meeting about policy reworks." The man's face showed surprise, as it obviously hadn't been known to him.

"May I inquire as to how you learned of that information, Mister Arc?" The man's voice pressed, even as Yang's uncle made a comment about Jimmy needing to watch his words.

"Miss Khan has mentioned that today would be something of the sort. As I had dinner with her and the Belladonna's, I heard mention of it. It's not like they make a huge secret of it." The man frowned, as he set his jaw, clearly trying to think of something.

"I will handle the side of politics, provided that Mister Taurus is going to press charges against his partner." The man's voice was casual, yet held within it an edge, the man's patience obviously tested. "Take some time to unwind. Such sights are, sadly, a thing that is witnessed entirely too often… The vagaries of man…"

An ancient saying, as the man occasionally used. He looked at the Scroll before he nodded. "We'll return to Beacon and then take our time to unwind and relax. Thank you for your consideration and my sincere apologies for intruding on your meeting."

"Alright…" He said, after he had given the report, his eyes meeting Pyrrha's for an instant. "We've got the day free, so we can deal with what we've seen here." He was feeling slightly better than the others, only due to the memories of Willow, whose eyes had seen entirely too much of such things, the mutilation that Eve had suffered giving him a recollection of the moment when Willow had seen one of the after-effects of a riot.

"I don't think RWBY should see this." Ren said, even as Nora's eyes flicked between the two of them.

"How abouuuutttt…" Jaune cut her off with a gesture before she'd be able to suggest some sort of wild orgy. Pyrrha actually looked a little sad for a moment there, which he dismissed out of mind.

"Let's just get back to Beacon… I'm sure that we can get a ride to the air docks or something…" He wasn't feeling for another trip through the air until it would be a short one.

The trip back was silent, for the most of it. With how the silence stretched in the cop car that they'd gotten to ferry them to the air docks it was only the lamentations about being too late that kept him, even as Pyrrha squeezed his upper thigh in an effort of supporting him. "You did the best you could."

He didn't know about that yet. All he wanted was to have a shower, to just get himself comfortable again and not…

' _I've nearly done it again… saved someone… Is this what being a hero is all about? To be the man who saved women from their own horrors?'_

He stripped calmly once he had arrived back at the dorm, stepping towards the shower, wearing just his underwear and getting a towel and a fresh set. He felt weary and tired, even as he stepped under the warming spray, feeling the sensation hit him, a low moan coming from his mouth, even as he heard a door opening. He stepped out from under the shower, even as he heard a conversation in the background, pulling the underwear on and then adjusting himself, before he went for the shirt. He stepped out of the bathroom, spotting a guest at the door. "Ah, Mister Arc, I am here to inquire with you about a-"

Anger flooded his system at the way that she spoke to him.

' _Haven't I been through enough shit today? Why the hell does this bitch want to give me the time of day when she should be on her knees begging her mother to come back to her?'_

"No. Whatever inquiries you have, can wait." Anger flashed onto her features, her hands on her weapons. Their weapons were at their lockers now, and he was unarmed. This would be a hard struggle, if he were to get into a fight with her.

"That was not a request, Mister Arc. I suggest you come with me peacefully, as we have much to discuss. Gen- " He strode up to her and looked her in the eyes, her voice automatically falling silent, the moment he entered her personal space.

"Give it up, frosty." He said, as he looked into her eyes, spotting blue-eyed defiance. "Turn around and walk away…" He was about to, but he could see her body move, his hand grabbing her by the wrist, pushing her away. A Glyph appeared in the air, her foot stepping onto it, bouncing her back towards him, her blade's aimed with the blunt side, obviously to knock him out. He was not having that, even if she were to try one hundred times.

"Oh no, you don't do that to me. I've been given the day off and I've had it with your shit." His arm blocked the strike of the large saber, the feeling of her weight pressing against him a little difficult to deal with, even as her foot hit him in the side, the feeling of a boot there, even as pain flared, her body immediately darting out of physical striking range. Without his weapons… He was a little useless. She was located right in the direction of the bathroom, moving from that position towards one where he was facing the door… towards escape, perhaps. Towards a place where she could corral him.

"You will comply with Atlas regulations, Mister Arc. Let's not make this harder on yourself." He growled, even as she moved back, his feet planted steadily into the bracing position. _'The best strike is the one they don't expect.'_

Sienna had been an agile opponent. He was more the type who favoured strength over speed and agility, yet she had shown him how she danced around the issues of fighters who were larger than her, or faster.

His body lowered immediately, the experience of the woman already drawing her into the plot, Aura fueling him, as a Glyph appeared before her, speeding her up even more, and he dodged to the side immediately. The laws of motion were in effect and Winter Schnee crashed straight through the door, the splintering wood loud, as he got up again. He walked to the woman, who'd been slammed through team RWBY's door as well, catching sight of Weiss and Ruby currently staring aghast at the woman who'd been slammed through the door through some force of nature, pushing the door open.

"As I've said before Winter… I'm not coming with you." She grit her teeth, her hand pushing to let her up. The small issue with Haste glyphs was that you had a period of malaise following it after use. That he'd basically super-charged his own Glyph was something that would make her enjoy the side-effects for a touch longer, even though she'd bodily slammed through two doors, something that most Huntsmen would find tiring.

His foot rose and then descended, a soft 'ah…shh…' coming from the older woman, his foot planted right on her face as unconsciousness claimed her. He looked down at her, before moving his foot away. "It's always the people who come to find me right at the point where I just want to get some rest…"

"Woah… That's a nice leg you've got there, Jaune." Yang's voice spoke softly from her bed, Blake, Ruby and Weiss looking right at him, at where his foot still was located next to the knocked out Winter Schnee's head. He looked down at his bare leg.

"No, not really… I mean, have you SEEN Nora's legs? She's able to crack a walnut with it!" Yang chuckled, even as her gaze went to her teammates.

"Never figured you to wear blue underwear, though… Hey Weiss, he's wearing your colours! Check his third leg out."

He became aware that he had still only worn his underwear and his undershirt, feeling decidedly exposed, before he straightened his back and looked at her, putting the most confident grin that he'd be able to muster right now on his face.

"My, one might think that you'd like to receive a similar treatment such as dear ol' Winnie here." The look on Yang's face was predatory, even as Ruby and Weiss turned even redder in the face, Weiss' mouth slightly opened, even as Yang retorted.

"Hmmm, hit me harder, daddy… Show this bad, bad girl who the real slut of the house is, hmm?" It was sultry and seductive, just as expected, yet he knew that the concern in her voice was real, that her eyes looked not at his groin, yet at his face.

"Perhaps later, Yang. I'd like to get dressed first." The disappointed sound that came from Blake was enough to make the other three members of team RWBY look right at her, as the Faunus girl flushed red with embarrassment.

"Take care of her, alright? I think I'll have Ren go get a new door or something…" It would be something to do, at least.

* * *

She looked at the faces that were grim and dour, even at the meeting that was supposed to just be something quick and easy, rather than this tedious grind. "Where is Adam? Has he been waylaid by his human partner?" The grumpy voice of Fennec Albain seemed to contain as much loathing as it had for the way that Adam had surrendered to the enemy, yet Sienna could hardly fault Adam for such desires.

"Underway, obviously." Her voice was stern as she directed her attention to the White Fang's upper leadership. Each of these people had earned their place at this table, Ghira currently sitting opposite of himself, looking at her with a grave face, even as she calculated the time needed for the next proposal to be heard.

A ringtone sounded, and she groaned, plucking her Scroll from her pocket and then opening it with a swipe of her finger. "What is it?" The question was harsh, even as she knew who would be speaking to her.

"Sienna, I won't be able to attend the meeting." Adam's measured voice was enough to tell everyone that listened in that things were tough, even as she frowned. She could hear someone say something in the background, even as she rubbed between her ears.

"Anything really serious?" She asked, her voice sounding a little annoyed, yet understanding that if the man had some issues that he would need to deal with them.

"My sister has been hospitalized, and I am here to make sure that she is alright." The concern in his voice was more than he usually showed for people, something that only came out when there was an actual concern within his mind for the people around him.

"Just be alright, okay?" She asked, even as he seemed to hesitate for a moment, sighing deeply.

"We will be." The man cut the connection then.

Nearly ten minutes later, a familiar jingle came from her Scroll, which she plucked from her pocket and then opened up, sighing deeply. "What?" She half-hissed at the speaker, showing a confused-looking Jaune.

"Hey Sienna, I was hoping to catch you, I'd-" She growled audibly, cowing several of the members of the White Fang seated around her.

"You're disrupting a meeting, Arc." Her voice was harsh as she glanced at the other members, before her attention returned to the Scroll.

"Would you like to go to the dance at Beacon with me?" He asked, making her blink.

' _He… he asked me out for a dance?'_

She was so taken aback that it showed on her face, a nonplussed expression that lingered for a moment, as she returned her face to form. "Are you asking me out on a date, to a known event where the Headmasters of the Huntsmen academies of the world might be in attendance?" She asked, her voice sounding stricter than before.

"Yeah, eh, I guess it might be a little silly, but you were the first that I thought of…"

Her heart was making strange little beats. It was so fast and yet, she felt the warmth increase in her body. She was not blushing, no, she was simply getting worked up. "Do not kid yourself, Arc. You are but a weak morsel, fit only to be ground under my heel."

"I guess… I guess I'll try Wi-" She had to cut that off. She would not let the Schnee get another march on her, even if she DID know that the Schnee woman would be dealing with all sorts of political fallout now.

"I'll be there at six. Be present and for the love of the brother gods, DRESS NICELY." She looked at his surprised face, smirking like the tiger who'd just ate the canary. "I shall see you at six, Mister Arc." The connection was cut down, before the comments came.

"How could you do that?" "A human, Sienna?" "Think of the children?!" Her eyes narrowed and a dark rumble came from her throat, her eyes blazing with anger and frustration as she gazed at the people around her.

"This is a chance for us to enter the mainstream. Seeing the leader of an important organization enter with a human who had seemingly asked her on a lark, without the social burden associated with us, would be a step forward to getting the rights that we deserve." Her voice was soft, as her gaze slid to the Albain brothers, whose distaste was visible on their face.

"A young man, trained… arguably with some hesitation, yes, by me… Who asked me to a school dance, even knowing that I lead the White Fang… What better way to show the world that we are not terrorists, even though some allegations have been made about our leanings." Her gaze spotted Ghira nodding softly.

"And if the boy tries anything, I will make peanut butter out of his testicles and feed it to him." The threat of emasculation worked well, with most of the men knowing that she _would_ do something of the sort.

She wasn't known as the High Leader of the White Fang for nothing, after all.

"I'm sure that we can avoid bad press by showing that we are open to dialogue, to engage in a frilly ball with a young man who has dared to pose the question."

She was not going to give up her lead in this race for the young man's heart.

She was Sienna Khan and she did not play second fiddle to _anyone!_

* * *

 **Another chapter of The dance, and in it, controversial topics. Some people went 'but that's male abuse' and someone even went as far to send me an angry PM about how bad it is to marginalize men and the like…**

 **The moment that Amanda and Adam got something, should have rung alarm bells. Medical personnel getting involved with a patient is a big no-no, because you can't be unbiased against those who require your care if you're emotionally linked to them. If there are feelings involved, expect fuck-ups.**

 **About the spine thing - They're trying to find out why I am suffering from some serious health issues. Everything hurts, so I'd like them to find out why.**

 **Next chapter: The Dance with the Tiger.**


	30. Fouetté

**Chapter 30: Fouetté**

 **THE DANCE… well, actually just the leading up to the dance. The last chapter had a very rushed feeling to it, which was mainly because… it was a rushed moment for him. Winter ambushing him as he was in his underwear definitely did not endear her to him much… But now we got the steps leading to the dance... Wooh! Sienna's going to stun people!**

* * *

Jaune opened his eyes, the beeping of his Scroll alarming him. A call was incoming from Kali, as far as he could notice the jingle that he'd associated with the number. He groped for the Scroll on the bedside, pulling it and then answering it. "Wha? It's…" He glanced at the clock, noticing that the time was nearly seven. "Damn, it's nearly time to be up."

"Jaune… I want to inform you of a few things about Sienna before your date." The tone of her voice was strict, letting him remember the feeling of when she'd decided to play footsie with him. A flush came to his features as he remembered that feeling and how embarrassed he had felt, the feeling of that encounter having been more than good to him.

"It's… It's a dance, not a…" The soft titter that she made was sufficient to dissuade him from any further dismissals.

"Now, don't be coy… Sienna is very dear to me, and to my husband. He has forgiven me, and we've just made up." The sound of someone groaning, even as Kali's tone turned cooler, like Blake when she wanted to make a point. It was a similarity between her and her daughter that he had noticed beforehand.

"Hurt her, and I will hunt you down. I will rip your guts out and wear them like a turban. Simple." The threat of violence was enough to make him straighten, the feeling of pain going through his body not being one of his favourite feelings. "My little Sienna's been so shy… But now she's got a date. She's going to dress up, wow you with her skills…"

That she delivered it at a tone that Sienna could mimic perfectly of smouldering anger and cold rational threat that she could give, an image of Kali looking as fierce as Sienna did, a thrill of excitement going through him. "And you're going to do whatever it takes to make her happy." The tone of the conversation was set, as Kali spoke so casually about what he was going to do.

"My little tiger may be blunt, bold and boneheaded, but she also has a deep love inside her. When you do get to fuck together, do take the lead." A low grunt of 'What the hell are you talking about woman?!' came from Ghira, even as Kali hissed. "She may complain, she may object… But in the end, she wants a man to love."

'But you're doing the same thing!' Ghira said in the background, even as his wife made a strangled sound in the back of her throat. "Now dear… This is an intervention, just so that you don't hurt my little kitten. What I did to you was already breaching the etiquette, but you need to know your place in our world. A Pogrom is to show strength." The words meant little to him, as he felt himself slowly waking up.

"And personally… I say 'Take her'." The boldness of the statement brought to mind an image of Sienna, half-unclothed together with Willow. The picture that they'd sent, the naughty image that had been burnt on his mind, the sight of her breasts and her body…

"A woman doesn't want to be strong all the time… Sometimes…" There was a hiss of pain, and a 'KALI! NO CLAWS THERE!' It was perhaps a good thing that there was no camera feed on, as Kali seemed to purr. "Sometimes a woman needs to be shown her proper place… Even if her husband doesn't seem to wish to assume his. Have a good morning, Jaune… By all means, do dress up nicely…"

It was a warning, of sorts. It was the warning, the hint and the tension, and he had a damn erection now thanks to getting the image from Kali that Sienna might enjoy the taking of her body. _'She'd probably never let me…'_

There was a slow licking over his lips as his fingers brushed over his groin, a little touch given, as the call shut off, leaving him the morning silence. "Fuck." He mumbled, shaking his head, aware that he had a darn hard problem in the morning now.

"I can't help you with getting dressed, Jaune." Pyrrha said, right beside him. He froze up, even as he saw the look on her face, one of understanding and of knowledge. "But I hope you'll have a wonderful evening."

It was a tension inside him that worked through his body, even as he could see her trying to hide tears. _'Oh no, she's sad.'_ "Have you not gotten someone to dance with?" He asked, to which she shook her head, sighing.

"Well… There's not many people who aren't intimidated by my status as 'the invincible girl'." There was a morose tone to her voice as the words trailed off, her smile returning. "But I hope that you'll save me a dance?"

In another universe, in another dimension, he might have taken her to the dance. In another universe, where Jaune Arc had not met Willow Schnee or Sienna Khan, he would have floundered, wearing a dress to the dance in order to meet with a promise. In yet another, he would have had a wild hot sex orgy after someone spiked the punch with an aphrodisiac, team JNPR getting even closer than before, and team RWBY deciding to banish the incident from their collective memory after accidentally opening the door, especially after the recording had been tracked down.

"Of course." He said, smiling, Pyrrha's eyes a little concerned.

"So… What was it with the Schnee woman?" She asked in concern, even as he grimaced. The unconscious woman had been carried off to the infirmary by Weiss and Yang, with no explanation given about the way that she had intruded in his room, to inquire about something or the other.

He'd only found out later that it had been done by the order of General Ironwood, one of the men who had been in conversation with the Headmaster, even if Yang's uncle had been merely a presence in the background. _'That man is dangerous…'_

Sienna had spoken about the man's propensity to take action against threats, based from a paranoid worldview, in a few of the times that she'd deigned to explain Remnantian politics to him. It was far from a cry for sanity that he'd imagine her to give, but it was enough for him to know that you did not mess with General Ironwood or his associates… But Winter Schnee had earned that kick to the face for simply following orders and not giving a damn.

He felt vindictive, based on the leftover feelings of Willow. Willow cared so much for her daughters, yet they spurned her, the leftover irritation of seeing her in such a state having made him feel protective of her.

"Something about the mission we did yesterday…" He could say that much, but Professor Ozpin had been annoyed with the Specialist, especially after he'd heard of the commotion. Professor Goodwitch, in a rare moment of empathy, had given him a look that showed that she understood the pressure that he was under.

"She was there to abduct you, wasn't she?" Pyrrha guessed, probably right. James Ironwood, as the headmaster had spoken of, was a man who preferred control. That he had interfered with him and nearly abducted him was something that would sour relations a little between the headmasters, Professor Ozpin not looking overly pleased at the way that this had happened. _'The White Fang is also something that they would be very interested in, the headmaster said… and he is trying his best to ensure that I wouldn't have to deal with the Atlesian military.'_

Sienna wouldn't like that. She was protective of her friends, to such a degree that it was almost endearing to see her work the varying political goals, as far as she allowed him to see her at the job.

"I think a shower's what I need." He mumbled, even as Pyrrha nodded.

"Work off that stress with a good hot soak."She seemed to suggest more, but he was sure that it was just an innocent comment, the wink that she gave him returned, even as he stepped towards the bathroom. "I'll guard you from any Schnee's that want to break in."

He chuckled as he pushed the door open. Fat chance of that happening. He figured that Winter was licking her wounds, Weiss wouldn't dare to do something like that and Willow was currently... nowhere near Beacon.

* * *

Nervousness dominated her mind as she pulled the shirt over the bra that she'd picked today to support her tits, the large rack that'd been an inheritance from Raven's side of the family something that could hardly be worked on. Her heart hammered in her chest, knowing that she was going to be talking to a boy… a boy that she liked, a boy that had endeared himself to the others as well.

It wasn't just the feelings that the others had for him, it was also the fact that he cared so much for those around him. The moment where he had stood there, dressed in only an undershirt and a set of underwear, was when she noticed that he was at ease, ready to deal with a problem in a final manner, and still calm enough to deliver the finishing blow to Weiss' older sister…

Yeah, that was the type of man that she liked. Behind the brash mask, she wanted to feel protected and safe. She'd told him about the failed expedition to find her mom… Something that she hadn't even told Blake yet, even with how the world seemed to have gone mad with the preparations for the dance.

As she pulled her pants on, she let herself relax a little, knowing that there would be a chance now to ask him. It was after all a day before the dance and there was time to swallow her foolish pride and self-esteem and just ask him out…

Before any of the others did. She loved Ruby, yet Ruby wasn't ready to deal with something like this yet. She wanted… She wanted to be held, to be told that she was special and that she would… bed. Romantic novels were like an addiction, where the noble Huntsman and the farm girl would delve into a relationship, the danger of the Grimm still out there, with wounds and scars, tender little kisses below the shattered moon's light…

She could get swept up in them, even though Ruby never really did bother with the stuff she read… Ruby loved to work on weapons, Blake was… for some reason, impressed with Jaune in some way that was hard to explain save for a 'he is who he is and what he is'… But the girl had her eyes set on him in a way that she could recognize. If he would pick between the four of them, it would be alright. It would be something that she could swallow, that she could understand and then go 'Oh, so he picked one of my team… Good.' But… He didn't.

He hadn't said anything about who he was going with, or whether he was even going. During the mission yesterday, he'd been curt with them, telling them that they should deal with the people whilst he went in. It had been his heroic side that had made her keep silent, said that they'd be able to handle it…

She'd heard from Ren that the conditions had been serious in that place. The sight of Adam and Eve Taurus, made more comfortable with the aid of the emergency services, the empty gaze that just looked at Adam with eyes that had seen and been through too much…

It had shocked her and it had shocked Ruby, even though she hadn't told a single person of it. She knew her little sister well enough to notice the far-off look that came to her eyes as she isolated herself to work on another fragment of Crescent Rose's maintenance schedule that she'd 'forgotten'. They ignored the soft little sounds, even as Weiss looked conflicted, yet Ruby had insisted that 'nothing was wrong'. It took about an hour or so before the 'maintenance' was done.

She pulled the casual jacket on, deciding that she'd better risk it, or be left in the dust. Spotting him in the cafeteria, looking like he'd just gotten his meal, she grinned broadly, pushing herself into the spot next to him. "Well hello there, bold bright saviour…"

The mask of Yang Xiao-Long, the flattering excited blonde was up once more, arms wrapping around him in what was more of a half-hug, her breasts pressed up against him. He didn't flinch away or turn red, merely looking at her. "How're things hanging with your big third leg, huh?"

It would be a lie to say that she hadn't given it a good hard look. Ruby might pretend to be innocent, yet she had chipped in on the debate as to how it would feel when being together with someone. It had been regular girl talk, for once… Even Weiss chipped in with some of her own personal stories about how guys approached her.

It was girl talk, plain and simple. Blake added her own two cents about being in a relationship with Adam, noting that it had been more of an emotional affair than a physical one, though the sex apparently had been pretty crazy if you'd believe her. The speculation about positions and the like had taken up most of the evening, blunting the emotional load that they all suffered when dealing with the harsher side of things. _'Jaune…'_

"Still perfectly intact, thank you very much. Have you given thought about getting your floatation devices some fresh air?" The comment he snapped back was cheeky, enough that she'd cooed a little, all for the performance. She wasn't 'lewd' per se, but she did enjoy teasing from time to time.

"Maybe if you're a nice guy… So, how're you looking for the dance? Got a hot date already?" She wanted to just say to him 'Go to the dance with me!' but there was the mask to consider. If she was anything less than the bright and sunny Yang, people would start worrying… Ruby would, at the very least.

"I've got a date, though I'm not sure whether she'd be considered 'hot'." The snort afterwards was enough, as her enthusiasm flagged, a sad twinge to her lips.

"Weiss must be over the moon." The girl hadn't shown any such happiness, and Jaune frowned at that.

"Weiss? Why'd you think I'd ask her?" The question was honest, and the way that he phrased it was perfectly done, even with his surprise showing through. It was clear that Weiss might've been the perfect match for him… A bit of class, a bit of ability to dance… All she got was the left feet and the whole attitude to go with it that wasn't the most womanly… though she wanted to.

"He's taking someone older." Yang frowned at Pyrrha, tilting her head.

"Who? Weiss' mom?" The suggestion was only some sort of ludicrous thought after he'd laid a hand on the woman to stop her, no doubt out of concern for her, not willing to let someone be sad… Yeah, he was like that.

"No… I mean, I could have asked her, I guess…" He looked so hesitant as if he was considering it. _'Yeah right… The day that he dances with Willow Schnee is the day I decide to go and serenade him about how much I want to jump his bones and make him call me wifey.'_

"Sienna Khan." Eyebrows shot up, as she tried to calculate how THAT might have come about. There had been a moment during the dinner at the restaurant where the woman's gaze seemed to have caught fire, a sharp wicked look at Blake's mom given that promised bloody and savage murder to the woman, if she did something wrong… Not exactly the type of woman who would gladly go with a human to a dance…

"Oh… Is it some sort of… human cooperation thing?" That would be an excuse… or he might just have thrown out her name because he was ashamed that he had someone selected already but that it would make her feel sheepish…

"Heh… perhaps." He smiled, a distant smile, yet Yang Xiao-Long was not going to be deterred.

"Well, Jauney boy… better save me a dance if you can… This Yang wants to have a bang." She winked, even as her concerned look met his gaze, when it was just her looking at him. His hand grabbed hers and squeezed, and her heart did that little thump thump thump thing where she knew that she was going to have a wet dream or something again… Those tended to crop up when she had a crush…

"I'd love to dance with you." And the smile just killed her. That gods-forsaken smile, so warm and understanding and lovely that she'd just want to grab his head and stick her tongue down his throat and they'd get the coach and then ride off into the sunset and make plenty of babies in a nice house on an island and then have-

 _Yang dot Exe has suffered a minor crash, rebooting OS._

"I look forward to your moves, Yang." She was going to do this. She was going to show Jaune Arc just how good Yang Xiao-Long danced! _'I better find Blake and get her dancing… That silly cat better be somewhere available.'_

She was going to make his world stop with her moves, or else she was not Yang Xiao-Long, bad-ass bitch with a romance novel enthusiasm!

* * *

She looked at the clock, thirty minutes later than the last time that she'd looked at it. The security clearances that she had to get for the simple visit to Beacon Academy were obviously meant to deter any sort of official from coming over, yet she filled them all out, as was customary.

A woman in her position did not do sloppy work. With her fingers holding the pen, every line was deliberate and every stroke was a stroke with her conviction behind it.

Adam and Eve were in the hospital now, Eve quiet and solemn as she undoubtedly would be after such an ordeal, the meeting having gone according as planned without them. Jaune's little interruption had pushed the conversation to the level of public relations, with her taking the head with that as his 'date'. The Hero of Vale, as he had been termed by the media (for some gods-forsaken reason), had been something of a hot topic, mainly in how the world had perceived a tragic injury for a young Huntsman in training…

The public relations that she could harvest from this simple dance was more than just the activism that she'd be able to inspire with a speech. To show that Faunus and Humans could work together, there would be one step more made on the road for the humans to know that Faunus were their equals, to be given fear when cornered and to have respect when around…

Making an appearance was good for business. Being seen talking with Headmaster Ozpin and General Ironwood would be mandatory, those who believed in a more radical solution bringing to the fore a more militant mindset that would be needed in order to deal with… difficulties.

"High Leader…" The voice of one of the lower ranked lieutenants came, the man's bulky form pushing through the door, even as he held a document folder in his hands. "The information from our sources, confirmed through independent sources."

The folder laid on her desk and she glanced at it, putting the final touch on the last document. "Get this to Beacon Academy, personally. Ensure that you hand this to Professor Goodwitch herself. This is critical information about the Beacon Dance and my attendance." The man's face changed little, even though she got the sneaking suspicion that the man was secretly smiling at her.

' _People these days seem to be too willing to poke their fingers and noses where they have no right to be!'_ The feeling of being annoyed with the way that the world was functioning snuck up on her again, even as she wondered briefly whether Kali had recovered from her forced abstinence, the lieutenant packaging the documents in a single folder and then walking out, giving a soft nod to her secretary and what seemed to be a thumbs-up.

' _Now…'_ She pulled up her schedule, coming to the empty spot that she'd had reserved. _'Time to see whether Kali would be up for shopping for a new dress…'_ The woman undoubtedly would be, as she would know from the moment that she rang her up.

"Hey, man-stealer." The informal address to Kali was expected, as the woman flashed a calm smile, her eyes half-narrowed at her, the video feed uninterrupted. She could see Ghira laid on the bed, half-unconscious, the man obviously tired from… something. "I need a new dress."

There was little time for her to go and shop for a new dress…She'd have to get a manicure as well, as well as a pedicure. A woman's needs were to be met and she had not really personally groomed herself lately. It had been busy, and she looked through the folder as she waited for the answer to come. "And a pedicure as well, Sienna… Have you SEEN your toenails?" She had, and she'd made sure that she'd have time for that… But a dress might be nice to have first. One could not wear the same thing twice, if one were to look at things with an established eye.

"Enough with the jokes… Are you free in an hour's time?" It would give her time to look through the papers, to get the right eye for the information about the asshole who decided to take a shot at her.

A picture, silver hair and an arrogant face. Her eyes narrowed at the sight, as the small profile that'd been typed out by an inexperienced typist, undoubtedly someone who was much fonder of writing stuff by hand, listing the age.

' _Mercury Black, son of Marcus Black…'_

Well… That was a face that she'd seen before…

' _That Cinder Fall cunt really has messed with the wrong tiger…'_

Oh, she was going to go and make sure that the woman would suffer for trying to kill Sienna Khan.

* * *

Jaune looked at the teacher as the man stood there, his face an understanding mask, even as he blinked. "Eh…" He paused, looking at his teammates. They took a step away from him, even as the man's hands placed themselves on his shoulders, preventing him from easily getting away.

"Nonsense, my boy… You've got to speak with someone… I have years of experience!" The man was adamant, standing there before him. "This will just take an hour or so… You kids piddle along… This young man needs to have words." The professor with the bulk and the large moustache said, even as he pushed him along, away from his team and team RWBY, looking at him in a manner that was more serious than the usual storytimes that he held during his Grimm Studies class.

"Sir, I really…" He tried, but the man's stern face appeared to take special umbrage to the term, as he was guided to the man's office, a place where he'd never been before. The man's face was grave, even as he pointed to one of the comfortable leather chairs, indicating that Jaune should sit down.

"Sit down, Mister Arc." The man's voice did not have the joking tone of a man who was fond of telling fantastic tales about his youth, but one who was serious about the conversation that he was going to have.

Jaune sat down, waiting for the man to engage in the conversation that was undoubtedly soon to be had, something undoubtedly to do with the mission of yesterday. The man took a deep breath, even as he looked at him.

"You are taking Sienna Khan to the dance, are you not?" The man's voice was soft, with a mournful tone to it, a short nod coming from him as he could only acknowledge it, the man's face turning more serious. "In my many years as an educator, Mister Arc, I have seen many things." The man pointed towards a picture that was framed on the wall, the colours faded, yet with the depiction of the man himself in his younger years, a member of a team that had long since been disbanded, as far as the members seemed to be. They did not appear throughout the other pictures.

"A great war erupted, back when I was in the early steps of my education, a war in which the Faunus fought for better rights. My colleague, professor Oobleck, did his dissertation and thesis on the period of time in-between the Great War and the Faunus Rights Revolution… It was…" The man sighed, even as he looked solemn, like a damning cloud of depression had passed him by. "It was something that many people would not even dare to wish to remember. The rout with General Lagune against the offensive led by Teddy Rosefield and the Rough Riders still haunts me to this day, young man."

The man had been young when the war was fought, and he didn't understand why it would be so important for him to know of it. "After the war, the White Fang was formed. An organization for the betterment of the Faunus plight, for the Humans to grow closer… Sienna Khan, at this point in time, is the lynchpin for the movement."

He could see it. She was a passionate leader, a woman who did not only dare to make the world a better place for her people but who was darn passionate about it too. "She is an amazing woman." He said, genuinely. The older professor cracked a smile, as he nodded.

"Her death would spell the opening shot in another race war." The man's words were stern, as he spoke. The man's moustache did not quiver, as he fixed him with a look. "She is essential to the working of the Faunus as a whole with her hard-line stance on Humanity and taking what the Faunus are due… and I cannot fault her for it. I have witnessed her speeches _because_ I fought in the Revolution. I had feared that she would become another Malcolm Nox. One who would ignite the hate in their hearts and ensure the demise of our peace with a bloody fury…"

The man was preaching, he could tell that much, yet the man's eyes were serious, as he looked at him with a look that was almost pleading. "I… I'm going to ask you now… Who is Sienna Khan to you, and what does she represent? I have heard of your exploits yesterday. The young woman is recovering from her ordeal, and the woman linked to the crime is currently imprisoned."

' _What is Sienna Khan to me?'_ It was not a question that he could have expected from the man. The man's gaze, honest and yet desperate, tired and yet alert, looked at him… a gaze that seemed to expect words that were not yet forthcoming.

' _What… what is she to me?'_ He could feel inside him that there was a yearning, as he closed his eyes. "She is the powerful woman who knows what she wants when she wants it. She will fight for what she thinks is right, she will ensure that she gets what she wants and when she wants it… Not just because it is her job but because she believes…"

He took a deep breath. "She is like a fire, licking at people to work harder, to be more, to work with a zeal for the cause. Every step that she takes when she is on the dance floor is one that is calculated, carefully arraigned to make the best impact. Teaching her how to dance was… Heh, it was a dance of tigers, let me say that much. She's… she's changed."

He was not aware of the professor sitting down in the comfortable chair that had obviously been specifically fashioned for him, nor was he aware of the way that the man's face showed concern. "Compared to her best friend, she is the fire to her ice. She's… She's bright like a sun, and she will fight and kick and scream for those that she considers to be a friend. Sienna Khan is… She _is_ the White Fang. The High Leader, the woman who will kick your ass if you don't kiss hers and call her ma'am."

Pause was given, even as a slow thrumming came through his body, a sensation. "To me… to me she is more like…" He flushed. "She's a friend. I can trust her to listen, I can trust her to voice her opinion if I'm being stupid. She's…"

"Marvelous, right? She's there when you need to support someone and she's there when you need the support." The man's voice sounded a little lost, as Jaune looked up. The man was looking at a picture of himself with a young woman, her hand in his own, a bridal gown wore.

"Mister Arc… This is just a personal question, but…" The man leaned forward, his expression shifting slightly, as his eyes looked into Jaune's for a while. "If she were in danger and you would need to sacrifice yourself to save her, would you do so?"

"Of course." He said, without even thinking about it. If Sienna were to be hurt and he could prevent it, he would. He was not going to suffer a world without her in it, or without Willow in it. "No matter what, I'd keep them safe. I've…"

Whatever told him to just tell the truth, wasn't clear, as he held up a hand. "I've made friends with a lady of proper standing as well." The Glyph appeared above his hand, a simple one to merely illustrate its powers. "Saved her life…" The pale face, the haunted moment when he feared that she was gone.

"and well… They don't exactly spread it around, but Sienna Khan and Willow are very good friends." The man nodded, serious in expression.

"You should hold on to that dream of unison, Mister Arc… And…" The man looked, with perhaps a shred of some sort of emotion on his face. "If she gives you the chance, never let go." The man turned his gaze to the woman in the picture again, Jaune watching clearly and noticing the other man in the bridal groom's outfit standing next to the woman.

"Before it's too late… I would never judge a man who loves a woman unfairly." The man's voice was morose, as he turned to him. "Your skills as a Huntsman may not be fully up to par, Mister Arc…"

He winced, knowing that he'd had much less training than the others had. "But the heart that keeps others together, is one thing that a Huntsman really needs. I am sorry for drawing you away from your friends, but…" the man turned to the picture once more, sighing deeply. "I just had to know. An old man's worries…"

He placed a hand on the man's shoulder, even as he felt the tell-tale tremor of the man. He wanted to know what he should say to offer comfort, what he should offer to the man to make things better, to make the burden a little lighter. "I'll… I'll make sure that you won't have to suffer through another war, Sir." It was a noble sentiment, the man shaking his head lightly, as he looked up.

"It is inappropriate to say so to a student but… Thank you. I overstepped my boundaries as a teacher out of concern of…" The man made a motion with his hand, seemingly lost in mid-thought. "Professor Goodwitch is younger than me, as is Professor Oobleck. They have not been through the Revolution, only knowing it from perspectives post-Revolution… And…"

The man swallowed, grabbing a flask from somewhere and taking a sip, his gaze stern. "Ensure that she has the best date ever. A woman that you love, no matter the age difference… You should hold on to her. Even if there is another woman that you love… You should never forget that hatred and division could turn the most normal and regular person into a monster." The man's eyes were grim, even as he took a deep sigh.

"I apologize for taking up your time, Mister Arc. It might be foolishness of an old man but…" Jaune could understand. The perspective that Willow had on the world was far more cynical than Professor Port's, even though the man often spoke grandiose stories with a humorous note in them, the hint of sincerity was enough. The man had intended well, even if his words had been a mess… But that was communication. He stumbled often enough.

"Everyone needs to talk, once in a while. You may… You may be a bit long-winded and not make much sense, but you still try to teach us about the Grimm." The man gave a hearty chuckle, nodding to himself.

"The story is but the packaging, Mister Arc. You'll find that if you look at the essentials WITHIN the story, that there is a kernel of wisdom to be gleaned. A Huntsman can weather the dreadful drudgery to find the gems of wisdom hidden within, or so I was taught." He wondered what that would mean… and it showed on his face. "Fifth minute, twentieth minute and three minutes before the end of the class, Mister Arc. You might find it interesting to pay attention at those moments." The pat on his shoulder was enough, even as he was ushered out of the office, and it hit him then, that the man had been telling the critical hints about how to deal with certain types of Grimm during those moments.

' _That is… that is actually pretty smart.'_

* * *

She was not getting drunk this night. She would save herself that moment of bliss for the big day tomorrow. With her toes and fingernails elegantly worked, getting booze all over them was more than a little silly… especially now that the new dress had been hung up in her closet and her schedule cleared, the folder laid on her bed, even as she allowed herself a little glance at the contents of the folder, detailing the personal life of one Mercury Black.

' _An apt hand at his father's trade, involved in the death of his father… My… Quite a naughty young man, obviously hired by Cinder Fall in order to ensure that I don't breathe much longer after the first attempt failed…'_ There was a dearth of information available if you knew where to look… and she was not a foolish woman by any stretch of the word. She knew exactly how much value a single word had in this world, where there was little more to do than to merely fight for your rights and hope that you got a good pension out of it.

The stresses of the world were not to be ignored… and neither were the stresses of her body. As she laid there on her bed, she allowed a hand to brush over her groin, knowing that she could just take one of her toys for the release of stress… But that would spoil the nail polish, probably. She knew her own tastes and desires best… and there was something tacky about warming up before you were to duel between the sheets.

' _Mister Arc…'_ The young man had earned a 'Mister' at the very least in her mind, her eyes locked with his blue ones… the eyes of an innocent young man who made her heart thump a little faster, whose gaze held her transfixed, who…

Her hand had cupped her breast and she was actually rubbing her thighs together, lost within that pleasant sensation of thinking about the young man who had caught her eye… The thought of being pressed into the bed, to push him down and to take what she desired…

A buck of her hips, as she growled to herself. _'Hmm… Would it be so bad…'_

A moment spent, eyes closed, ruminating on it. He was a virgin, she was sure of that at least. With the knowledge that she had on the subject of the Arc family, she knew that he had been coddled, that his genuine attitude was not faked… and that…

' _Why…'_ She doubted, even as she gazed at herself in the mirror that stood in the corner, looking at the nipples that stood pointing outward on her breasts, neither being the udders that Eve held or the more voluminous ones of Kali… She had a muscular physique, one which was agile and ready to fight. Trained to the core and to the bottom… She was lethal, predatory power.

To allow herself to be with a human…

She imagined it, in just the ways that she needed. White-hot fire burned through her loins, as her eyes opened and looked at herself in the darkened room, the glow of her orange-golden eyes burning in her reflection. _'Oh, Jaune… You are going to feel the wrath of Khan…_ '

She was not some weak woman who needed a man to feel happy and content… She was Sienna Khan!

Pogrom or not… She was still the High Leader of the White Fang, worthy of respect and fear!

The cold shower that she took after she had taken the time to gather herself was just what she needed.

Sienna Khan did not grovel before _any_ human! She did not bend, she did not break! This would be for the White Fang!

* * *

 **Another chapter, another… well, prelude. The first preparation for the Dance with the tiger is done… and we've seen no hint about that code thing! Oh god, what do you do, Cyanide never explains anythi-**

 **The codes used in the previous chapters were different codes for abuse – 39 to 93, male-female or female-male. Watch enough cop shows and you'll notice that they usually say the code when they're calling in, because 'male adult with shotgun' is a lot more wordier than 'three-twelve-fourteen' or something like it.**

 **But I could've explained it a bit more, so here I am. Port deciding to interrogate Jaune was a decision on his part to get a guess as to how Sienna Khan is. He's got enough experience with love to know 'Yeah, this kid's got it bad', and well… He's willing to put hope on a kid to draw Sienna Khan away from her terrorist roots. She's already made strides.**

 **We also know who shot Khan! Ooh! Shock! Horror!**

 **Yeah, I'd imagine that igniting a race war would be good for Salem's PR team of discord and dissidents.**

 **Leave a review! Enjoy the summer weather!**


	31. Connection

**Chapter 31: Connection**

 **Another chapter for you wonderful people to enjoy! The Dance of Beacon!**

* * *

Nervousness was something that he didn't anticipate. As he finished the final touches on his appearance, he took the time to glance at his reflection. His hair was tamed a little, the suit that he wore had been tailored to his frame and cut with the Atlesian style, a personal touch of Willow, as well as the corsage that he'd picked up. Mistralian wild rose, a symbol of an untamed love, with a smattering of small wildflowers around it to symbolize that she was as free as the fields... or at least, that's what he thought.

He could hear Ren and Nora converse about something out of earshot, whilst he gave himself a look. "Alright... Time to break a leg." He dabbed some aftershave on, just to add that touch of maturity to his body, as he looked at his face in the mirror and winked. "Time to knock em dead."

"You should lay off on the threats of bodily harm, Jaune." Pyrrha said with a smile, the red dress that she wore being elegant and fitting her body perfectly, as she stepped out of the room and flashed him a look. "She is the leader of the White Fang, after all."

"High Leader, actually. There are six or seven other leaders below her." He corrected, the addendum of the latter bit not necessary, but he found it prudent.

"Still... She is a dangerous woman." The caution in her voice was real, even with her expression showing concern for him. "I don't..."

He guessed that Sienna would likely be a little cool to him when he appeared with the corsage, but it was a custom that he wasn't going to deny. Her eyes had that unique quality to discern the minute hints about everything, so he hoped that he was going to pass that test. _'Come on, Jaune Arc... You can dance with her.'_

He'd taught her dancing, so this would just be another dance. A dance with the tiger Faunus who drove his senses wilder than catnip made Blake hiss. Someone who was established in the world, who could move a people with sheer charisma and the willpower and strength to force them to.

"Alright..." He inhaled and exhaled, his eyes looking into the mirror. "Time to dance... "

He walked past some of the Atlesian soldiers that had been stationed around Beacon for security purposes and straight to the airship landing pads, waiting for the one that'd carry Sienna to him. To say that he was nervous was an understatement. Several airships arrived, and he waited patiently, as some students from the other schools emerged from the flights. Some gave him a long look, others ignored his presence. As another ship landed, he finally got up, watching the persons who disembarked.

The door opened and he felt the urge to swallow, as she strode down, a set of black high heels worn, the dress that she wore clinging to her form, the chain whip wrapped around her other arm, the Dust jewels glistening in the light. Her eyes looked at him with a smug expression, as two female bodyguards of the White Fang, wearing the standard bodyguard getup, followed behind her.

Her face showed some of the marks of being done up professionally, the eyelashes having had a special treatment to bring her eyes out, as the grin on her face grew savage and cruel, as her eyes met his. "Surprised to see that I can look as well as I do, not wearing a suit, Arc?" Her voice was snappy and with a hint of that cool arrogance and pride that she held, as she strode to him with slow steps, her hips swaying slightly as she reached him.

' _Don't break out in a nervous manner now... She'd like it if you showed her some spine.'_

"Dress or suit, I'd probably look better in it than you would." The raised eyebrow, the faint grit of those teeth and that look of 'you are in hot water now' was enough to worry him, as she strode up to him, her hand pushing against him, trying to push him back.

"Don't push your luck, Arc... You might just get what you wish for." She said, her voice growling the words out with that tint of annoyance trailing off. The two bodyguards looked at each other, their gazes going right to him with a look of pity.

"I got you a corsage." He pulled it out, a raised eyebrow as the only response. He thought that he could see some redness on her cheeks, yet the cool manner that she adopted, shifting her right shoulder to him.

"Well? Put it on, Arc." She prodded, and he turned the flower down, putting the magnet there to lock it in place so as not to harm the dress that she wore. "Awfully confident in touching me, aren't you?" Her voice was more smug and bemused than anything, as she adjusted the corsage just a little.

"Drink." She snapped, one of the bodyguards producing a flask and the woman took a very long drag from it, handing it back. "Gods, I need the pick-me-up after that long meeting... You'd not believe how many people were against me showing up here... You better be grateful, Arc."Her voice was stern and biting, just as she should be. He held out his arm for her, which she took without any complaint.

"And the worst part is the whole looks that we'll be getting. As if humans never saw a drop-dead gorgeous Faunus woman stroll up with some weedy little blonde." The woman's voice was not stopping with the verbal assault, as he adjusted his arm a little.

"Well, I'd say that I've got the prettiest woman on my arm right now." He said, as she jabbed him in the side. He could hear the bodyguards give a little 'ouch' sound at the jab, whilst Sienna frowned at him.

"Liar." She accused, her voice a little lower, her eyes flashing. They walked slowly, Sienna adjusting her poise, the feeling of her at his side feeling _right_ for some reason, as he looked at the guards at the door, the soldiers looking at him, then at the Faunus woman at his side.

"My date, if you'll let us in." The men glanced at each other and then stepped aside. "Thanks. The bodyguards are just for her protection. I'm sure you can understand. Atlesian dignitary protocol seventeen-five-zero." The rulebook of the official standards for VIP protection was a thing that Willow had been drilled on by the etiquette that she'd learned to provide the image of a strong and unified SDC for the people.

"As you wish." The soldiers snapped to attention, Sienna's eyebrows rising at the candidness. She smirked, bumping her hip against his.

"Move your slow ass, human." She growled, and he stepped forward. To say that they drew attention would be an understatement, several of the students hissing in surprise as they saw who his date was for the dance. "A better greeting, I suppose..." She said, as she directed her gaze to her bodyguards. "Position yourself so you have a good line of sight. I pay you for your service, after all."

"Sienna, you really are-" Her foot slammed onto his foot, the high heel digging there for a moment before she lifted.

"Don't interfere." She growled, her face fierce and like a tiger, her eyes turning to her bodyguards. "I expect no incidents." The woman said, the bodyguards nodding and being dismissed with a jerk of the hand. The silence that had fallen after that made her look around. "What? Do you children have something to add to my bodyguards?" The heat in her voice made most of the students back off, as she grabbed a hold of his arm. "Walk, Arc."She growled at him.

He hoped that this was just going to be some mingling as she steered him towards Professor Ozpin and General Ironwood, who stood there with Weiss' older sister Winter there, dressed in a dress that fit her well.

' _Willow is still prettier.'_

It was hard to be objective in this case, but Willow Schnee he felt connected to, rather than the distance that Winter Schnee had to her mother. He couldn't forgive her that easily for scorning her own mother and making her feel like that. "Good evening, Professor Ozpin, General Ironwood." He said, the General looking at him with a look that was blander than the oatmeal that they served in the cafeteria. Sienna's arm squeezed his own.

"A pleasant evening to you, Professor Ozpin, General." The woman said in a tone that was flattering and yet perfectly polite, her back straightening. Her eyes were prideful and fierce, as she would not bend. The general put on an affable smile in order to appear calm, his eyes steel-like and cold.

"A pleasure, High Leader Khan." The man said, whilst the professor merely raised an eyebrow at him before smiling.

"Indeed, it was surprising to see that you have opted to attend the dance." There was a smirk that stretched on Sienna's face, as she looked at the professor, flashing her teeth.

"The White Fang has had enough bad publicity. Change comes through action... not through debate." The woman looked at him, the smirk curling a little more. "Not unlike some people, whose family does not know what labour laws are."

Winter's face turned frosty, as her eyes fixed Sienna with a look that definitely didn't intend much good for the Faunus woman, her lips pressed together thinly. "The Schnee Dust Company offers a fair standard living wage for miners, and I am in no way affiliated with the company." The woman's tone was tough, as he sighed.

' _Willow should just put her over her knee and spank her for her attitude... Seriously, does this woman only think about work?'_

He didn't like that. People could have their job, but they also would need to be aware of the fact that they would need to have some way to relieve stress. "Let's not have an argument about whether Schnee or White Fang labour laws are in effect, ladies." The look that he got from Sienna, as well as Winter, was heated, as they both seemed to want to have something to say to waylay that.

"It was surprising to see the choice in a partner that you have brought to the dance, Mister Arc." Jaune snorted, as he gave a thought about the other choices that he had. He could have asked Willow, though he knew that she was off somewhere at some fancy-pants dinner, the woman having given plenty of complaints about that happening.

"Why is it wrong for a young man with a functioning set of genitalia to bring a woman like me to the dance, huh? Is it your personal opinion that Faunus cannot be able to hold a political office? Atlas is the only Kingdom which has zero Faunus representation within the ranks of its upper class." Sienna's heated voice cut through his words, the General's face carefully neutral, as he took a deep breath.

"Merit makes the councillor, Miss Khan. You might have forgotten it, but Atlas has repaid the debts to society for our actions during the Great War and is a bastion of industry."The answer from Winter was enough to make Sienna flare up with anger.

"Merit doesn't seem to land on Faunus, it seems, when it pertains to Atlas. Does the cold stop that merit from accumulating, or is it just that the Equality Act was merely exercised in Atlas city proper?" The anger in Sienna's voice was real, and Jaune could understand it.

Equality was still something that people yearned for, in Atlas, the divide between the working class and the ruling elite was still as it had been. Willow's memories of growing up outlined that still. A minimum wage was something that people had to earn through merit, yet the chilly climate often made people unable to work.

"Ladies..." He said, but neither seemed to be willing to listen. Another argumentation flew from Winter, as he glanced at the Headmaster and General Ironwood, the latter looking at Sienna with eyes that showed his distaste. " _Ladies..._ "

Neither paid him any heed, his eye developing a tic as anger flowed through him. "Professor Ozpin, I hope you don't mind that we'll be checking out the refreshments first? The temperature seems a touch chilly." Sienna looked like she wanted to throw down with Winter right here and now, her eyes spitting fire.

"Do enjoy your evening, Mister Arc." The headmaster said, an enigmatic smile on his face, as he had not interrupted the little spat between Sienna and Winter.

He caught Ironwood speaking to Winter with a posture that showed a lack of approval of her actions, Sienna still bristling like an angry wildcat. "The nerve of that pale-faced snow bitch." She mumbled to herself, audible to him. "I should comment on that at the next meeting with her mother. It seems she has raised a brat." The image of Willow's disapproval was enough, as he sighed, spotting Yang and Weiss standing a little off to the side, Weiss and Yang both wearing a nice dress that complemented their face. "And here we have the little sister... Whoop-tee-fucking-doo."

The annoyance in Sienna's voice was real, her steps with a dash of hurry added to them. She was irritated by the altercation earlier, yet her behaviour was 'as expected' of Sienna Khan. The world saw passionate rhetoric and fierce ability to fight for what is right.

In a reasonable evaluation of both of the arguments, Sienna was in the right. Atlesian labour laws differed in their interpretation of what constituted as the workforce, and with the inequality in income by labourers.

"Hello, Jaune." Sienna's hand moved, to offer a handshake. "Miss Khan." The woman's face was not in the slightest bit concerned, as Weiss looked at Sienna with wide eyes, the unexpected hand that was offered for a handshake there. A smile on Sienna's face that was about as fake as Jacques' Schnee's wedding vows, as she looked at the woman.

"It is a pleasure to see you again." The woman said as Weiss shook that hand, Yang taking a moment, sighing a little deeper and then shaking the woman's hand, her eyes looking at him for a moment.

* * *

It wasn't fair to her, Yang thought. They'd put effort into this dance and now... the boy that she liked was going with someone else. It was probably a political move from Sienna Khan that had arranged for this, but it still hurt a little.

The first dance of her time at Beacon, supposed to be spent with a boy she liked, slow-dancing to the songs being played and then maybe having a bit of a kiss, before they'd split ways... Yes, that was how things should have gone, yet now it was different.

Now he was with a Faunus woman, older than her and he looked like he was at least somewhat happy. What did Sienna Khan have that she did not? The woman was slighter in stature, with a lean build that was focused on agile motion, the dress that she wore being fitted for her, a cut above her own. She looked like a woman, belonging to a man.

"Yeah, nice to see you too, miss Khan." The woman nodded at her, her face somewhat expressionless in that way that Blake had it too from time to time.

"Indeed. It is pleasant to see you again, Miss Xiao-Long." The woman said, politely. It was a formal tone, her head turning to Jaune. "Drink, Arc." Jaune looked a little nonplussed at her sudden command.

"Get me a drink. See whether they've got something stronger than lemonade." The look on her face was enough to scare Jaune away, a sudden thought in her mind about making sure that he was alright before the woman fixed her with a look.

"You're not straying into places where you should not on my watch, girl." The woman's voice was prideful and tough, even with how her eyes kept locked with her. "He is here as _my_ date. You can have him back after I am done with him." The look on that face was fierce and with zero fucks given, as the woman squared her shoulders, an expression lingering on her face that showed that she wouldn't budge one inch.

"But..." She tried, the Faunus woman leaning forward.

"No buts. You are not ruining his day with some silly catfight. You are here as a student, I am here as an adult. Get that through your head, silly girl." The woman fixed her with a look, as she spoke of those terms. Yang knew that it would be the truth to say that she was here as an invited guest and that it would look odd for a spat to ensue... But here was the woman who Jaune had asked to the dance. She had to try.

"Miss Khan, do you really think it proper?" The feeling of things about to go south went through her as she looked at the woman giving Weiss a _look_. The look of anger, of being just about to go and pounce on some asshole who'd swatted your ass.

"Do I think _what_ is proper, Miss Schnee?" The woman was sharp in her tone, as she looked at Weiss with a look that certainly did not look too friendly. The way that the woman moved was predatory and like an animal on the hunt.

"Being here with a young man. Should you not look for someone your own age?" The fire in those eyes was burning, Yang could nearly see the flames erupting from those eyes. A feeling of being humbled before some gigantic beast rushed through her. The look that Sienna Khan gave Weiss was one that, if the woman had some Semblance that made beams shoot out of her eyes, Weiss would be nothing more than a pile of ashes.

"Oh... I guess you've not heard the news." The woman's smile was enough to make Weiss take a step back. "You will know, in time..." The nefarious smile on the woman's face fit her, as Jaune returned with two cups of something to drink.

"Ah, I didn't see anything alcoholic, but there was some orange juice." The amused smug smile on Sienna's face was a treat to see, her fingers seizing the cup and then drinking it in one go.

"Seems that there's going to be a lack of liquor, then. I came prepared for such an eventuality." Her hand found his again, as her gaze ran through the milling students, marginally widening as it came to a silver-haired student from Haven that she couldn't find the name of as of this moment.

"Let's have a dance, shall we, Arc? I think the music's pleasant enough..." The woman's hand gripped his own deciding to steer Jaune towards the dance floor. Something inside her roared, as the sight of the blonde being led along by the tiger Faunus brought a stab to her heart, yet she was aware that making a fuss would reflect on her more than anything.

' _Damn you...'_

She felt envy.

* * *

Sienna's face was carefully set within that little mood of being darkly amused, as she guided Jaune towards the dance floor, the blonde and the Schnee left behind to deal with their business. She was the one in control, even if her lower body told her that it was time for more action, sans clothing.

"Let's dance, Arc." Her voice snapped and her fingers were wrapped within his, whilst the couples that were already trying out their experimental dances evaded them, as his hand seized hers. Her body fell into step, as she led through the first dance, her eyes looking into his for a moment.

"I hate you, Arc."Her words did not match her feelings, as he took the lead from her, his steps switching up. "I am better than any dance partner you could have ever taken."

The primal urges inside her told her that it was time, as the hyper-sensitive nose of hers detected the faint sprinkle of cologne from his body, as he pulled her a little closer. "Shut up." He growled in her ear, a dark challenge, as she leaned against him.

"Are you going to make me shut up, you little lame puppy?" Her voice was heated, as irritation showed on her face, as she kept her eyes on the silver-haired guy who'd taken a shot at her.

 _'Oh... I see your plan, Cinder Fall...'_

A common tactic in the art of assassination was to ensure that there would be misdirection done in order to make the world a better place. She knew well that there would be enough of an edge here...

 _'Plant the assassin amongst the students, meek and unaware...'_

She was going to make sure that there'd be no such thing happening, as she'd have to act a little aggressive towards Jaune. _'My... the eyes are easily mistaken... Yet the nose is not.'_

The Faunus students took their distance to her. To them, she was the tiger within the chicken coop, the monster in the closet... The alpha predator, even with her dance steps moving in tandem with her motions. "No words, Arc?"

His hand went lower and actually pinched her bottom in a manner that sent flame and cold through her body, a shudder, as those eyes of her looked at him with a definite fire in them. "Oh... You're trying to act cute..." The words were like a flame, as they hissed from her lips.

"Come on, human..."Her voice was thicker, more with that rich amusement within its depths, as she was pushed around by his guiding steps. A dip later and she'd feel the movement shift, her weapon carefully tangled around her arm in a manner, whilst she could smell the sweat on his body. Around them, a space of nearly half a meter had been cleared, as he took her through the next steps. "Is that the best you can do? I've seen more impressive dances at the Vale society balls..."

She really hadn't, but that wasn't for others to know. Her eyes locked with his, a dangerous look in those, as he pulled her close, her feet nearly tripping with his own moving so close. "Shut up, Sienna."

She pressed on, her body moving away a little, a complicated three-step twist, as she let her body go through the motion, her eyes spotting Ironwood and the jealous little cunt called Winter looking at them dancing. _'That's it, you half-iron dick, watch how the White Fang's leader dances with a blonde Huntsman hopeful...'_

She was back in his arms after a moment, as he pushed her along through the dance. "Why should I?" Her voice was impudent, strong, assured of itself. "We're stronger than you... Better..." Her lips moved to his ear. "We're going to be the ones who will fight for the equality you all denied."

A low hiss in his ear, as she pushed away from him, the new paces that he used in tandem, as his hand found her back and pulled her close, a mishmash of the different dances.

"You're still the one who'll be the weak one, Arc." Her voice was low, the challenge within it. She let go of him and strode over to the bodyguard that kept her supply of liquor. _'A good bottle of alcohol never let me down when I needed to perform. I hate this whole song and dance routine.'_

"Would you care for a dance, Miss Khan?" The smooth voice of James Ironwood reached her ears and she mentally grimaced, before adjusting herself mentally.

"I'd love to, General Ironwood." The man's distasteful nature was enough to rankle her, yet causing a scandal here would not be in the interest of the White Fang. She was here as their representative, whilst she drained the flask, the strong alcohol making her all the more relaxed. A slowly exhaled breath before she plucked a breath mint out of the pocket of the guard and took it, turning to the general.

"It is a surprise when a terrorist of your stature comes to a Huntsman Academy, Miss Khan." The man didn't mince words, as her hands followed his, allowing him to lead. She spotted Jaune dancing with Winter Schnee, apparently a concerted effort by the Atlesians for the two of them to be separated. _'That snow bitch is half the woman her mother is. If I'd had the freedom to do as I wished and nobody would worry about it, there'd be scandalous things happening.'_

"Alleged terrorist, General Ironwood. Nothing has been proven and whilst some members of my organisation may have been engaged with violence, the White Fang is an organisation of peace." There was a hint of her distaste in her words, as the man remained silent, keeping her words in mind.

"What is your plan for using Mister Arc?" The question was the one thing that she wasn't looking forward to. The blunt truth would be _'I like him'_ but that would only serve to ensure that the man would spread the word in a move to disperse the Faunus populace.

"He is a decent dancer and somewhat capable of fighting. When he asked, the White Fang's credentials will soar just through publicity. The High Leader dancing with a human... Integration... A step forward." There was a savage smile on her lips as she shifted steps abruptly. "Would it be bad to see something like that happening, hmm? Perhaps Schnee and the White Fang can come to an accord as well..."

She looked at the silver-haired assassin, whose gaze was drifting through the room. It had been removed from her, the moment that she'd stopped to dance with Jaune. _'Good... I'm doing my part.'_

"I wasn't aware that Atlas would enjoy the sight of you dancing with one such as me..." The words made the man freeze up, as he looked at her, suspicion in those eyes. "It would be a bad sign to see the General dance with the leader of a 'terrorist' organisation, would it not?"

"They know of my character. They know of yours." The assumption that she presented herself at all times as the High Leader of the White Fang was something that made her frown, as she switched partners once more, Professor Ozpin's face showing minor amusement as he started a slow Atlesian waltz.

"You have some odd fellows, Headmaster." She said, the man smiling in return. She caught sight of Jaune struggling to manage dancing with an excitable ginger girl, who nevertheless seemed to be able to keep up admirably with his steps.

"A man of my talents often surrounds him with the exotic and the skilled, High Leader Khan. A gamble on Mister Arc has paid off, has it not?" The man smiled mysteriously, even as she wanted to scratch his face up a few times. She did not enjoy mystery stuff with the people she cared for as the pieces.

"A gamble, yet it was worth it. The White Fang has more applicants in the past three months than in the last year. The message is spreading." She was collected, calm and allowed the man to lead for this dance. "Soon, perhaps we can have a Faunus Academy for Huntsmen set up."

A hope for her people, yet one that would be hard to obtain.

* * *

"If you applied yourself to combat class as you do to dancing, there will be better results in your future, Mister Arc." The stern tones of Glynda Goodwitch, who passed by him with James Ironwood on her arm, enjoying the festivities a little more, as Nora brilliantly tried to tear his arms off.

"Come on! Do the twist, do the twist!" The excitement in her voice, the way that his arms ached... and how Nora seemed to bounce like a bouncy castle, just made him pity Ren a little more. He could see Ren dancing with Pyrrha, whose face looked a little depressed, his sort-of-adopted-brother-from-another-mother giving her an understanding look.

"I am going to go to hell for this..." He mumbled as Nora left his arms, Yang pushing herself into his arms, taking him by hands.

"Problems with the lady, Jaune?" She asked as he went through one of the slow dances with her. He felt a little off, her rhetoric fiercer and stronger, something bugging her for some reason that wasn't readily apparent to him. His eyes glanced at the direction of Sienna, who was now currently dancing with Professor Ozpin, her face more relaxed than when she'd been dancing with General Ironwood.

"Yeah, she's a bit worried and tense. More threats too." Sienna, when she was uncomfortable, tended to get threatening. An armour against the world, with harsh words and rough language, but without heat in it. "But she's just being a politician, I reckon." The fact that Sienna was still one of the politically influential figures in Vale and the world remained.

"It makes me wish that it was just the two of us." Yang mumbled to him, and her eyes looked at him with a pleading look. "At the dance, I mean. Blake's..." The tap on her shoulder, as Weiss stood there. "You want to take over?"

Weiss nodded. "I can't find Ruby. You go and find her, okay? I've got to remain here." The hesitation and worry in Weiss' voice made him look at her, before Yang nodded, stalking away on her heels, her fingers tapping against the Bracelets that she carried with her, the shrunken form of her combat gauntlets.

"So... Sienna Khan." Weiss said, her voice sounding a little hesitatingly as she spoke. "What... what spurred on that? I thought that you would find it a bother to associate with..." The girl seemed to be full of her prejudices, yet he knew her well enough by now to see the genuine concern. The entirety of team RWBY was feeling concerned for him, which was a good thing, he reckoned.

"The Faunus are a sore subject for many." He caught a green-haired girl with red eyes dancing with her silver-haired partner giving him a look. "She's beat me into the ground often enough to tell me just how much frustration being different gives you." The concern on her face was real, but he understood that he was just telling the story half-way.

"But when she's giving a speech, or at least, when she's not thrashing me back and forth through the gym, she's passion, power and perfection. I'd say that she's at the very least, willing to fight for Faunus Rights." Weiss did not look too happy with that news, as she straightened herself a little, giving him a look that was half-hesitating in its gaze, even with the steps that they made.

"And my sister... You looked... tense." The grimace couldn't be wiped from his face.

"Your sister is going to die sooner rather than later if she presses on like that. Asking questions about stuff that doesn't concern her is not in the slightest bit appropriate." The woman had been asking about whether he had a relationship with the White Fang, whether he was a traitor to humanity... _'Who the hell comes UP with those ideas? Sienna is Sienna, it's not like she's trying to convert me into some sort of Faunus-loving nature lover...'_

The thought of Sienna doing the impression of one of those types that preached peace and tolerance and generous herbal smoking was amusing, as he shook his head. "No, she is a bit... rude. I fear that she'd try to invade my privacy again."

Weiss looked a little tense, even with her face looking perfectly reasonable at this point. She seemed to shift her dancing a little to let him lead. "If... If she tries again, I'll..." It was grudgingly said, but Weiss' eyes hardened. "If she tries again, I'll stop her. A Schnee should not meddle in the affairs of the citizens, and neither should a Specialist of the Atlesian Specialist Corps."

"Your mother..." He paused, sighing softly. "Your mother tried to make it up to you, didn't she? Perhaps..." The paternal feelings for her wouldn't stop, he could only see her as the girl who had smiled and laughed before. "Perhaps you should give her a call. She's..." He paused, unsure how to formulate it.

"You speak as if you know her." Weiss said, her eyes looking at him, a snort coming from his nose.

 _'I know her better than you ever will...'_

"She threw up at a gala that I attended with Miss Khan. It was a bit of a shock and left an impression." He said, the excuse as valid as it was. "Plus... You don't get a look on your face like that when you've got the world handed to you. One of my sisters used to..." He remembered that time, when it'd gone wrong.

"hurt. It was little things at first." He looked at Weiss, a sigh coming from his lips again, as he turned their motion towards the side. "But it started to escalate. You're lucky to have a mother, Weiss... My father, he..." He paused, feeling a stab of pain long-squashed revive once more. "Never came back from a mission. I've had to help out. Saphron, my older sister, managed to get a good relationship going."

It had been a little tough, yet Terra's job managed to ensure that they would have a decent amount of food on the table, with the donations that Terra sent to their mother's account every month. Since there were so many mouths to feed, it was occasionally tough to get a moment to yourself, but there was always laughter, most of the time. Vivian had been someone who supported them through being a Huntress, so that was a good cause as well, yet he worried still.

"That must be tough... Do you have any interests aside from being a Huntsman?" The question came suddenly, as Weiss looked at him, his gaze going to Sienna, who looked like she was engaged in a debate with Headmaster Ozpin, following his lead dancing, yet still speaking with passionate rhetoric.

"I'd like to get married someday. Have a big family." The smile that came on his face seemed to make Weiss feel a little stunned, yet he did not make it into a huge thing. _'Your mother is perhaps one of the people who would be affected as far as this goes...'_

Marriage was a big step, but what he felt for Sienna... It didn't feel like merely a crush. It felt more like something that had been coming a long way, as there was just that sensation of 'belonging'. "Could I have this dance?" The voice of a Haven student reached his ears, and he could see the green hair and dark skin, with a set of red eyes.

"Ah, sure. You're... Emma, right?" He only faintly knew the names of some of the people who had been visitors to the student body.

"Emerald, but you were on the right track." He nodded, as he started a less complicated dance. She wasn't good at keeping up with it, he saw, settling for something of a slower pace. _'Not everyone can be as good at dancing as I am.'_ The feeling was indescribable.

"So, you and Khan, eh?" The girl asked, almost cheekily. He snorted lightly, as it seemed like that on the surface. Sienna probably would never go for someone like him. "Oh?"

"She's here mostly to talk to the headmasters, I reckon. That I invited her here is just... Yeah." He shrugged, unsure whether Sienna would have taken the effort to come and dance with him. "It's a political move."

The girl seemed to relax a little, as she cast a look at Sienna, who was now embroiled in the difficult conversations, based on the way that she stood. Those toes, tensed to move swiftly, always managed to show her desire to pounce on a subject and then be gone.

"So, what's it like training with Miss Khan?" She asked. Alarm bells went off in his head and he managed to keep his composure, a smile on his face.

"Tough, really tough. She's got time sometimes to train me personally, but other times she just lets a few of the upper ranks take me out for a beating... or at least, to 'toughen my human hide'." The girl should not know about his training with Sienna, neither should she be so up to date on the fact that they had been doing such things... which meant that it would be something a little more serious.

' _Ruby wouldn't tell anyone about the stuff I'm doing... and she's someone peripherally linked to Ruby, so...'_ "Mind if I take my partner again, dude?" The silver-haired guy who apparently was the girl's partner tapped him on the shoulder, a smile on his face that was somewhat cocky.

"Ah, sorry, sorry. I should go check whether Miss Khan is able to take another stroll over the dance floor or whether she needs to make more connections..." He walked over to Sienna, who currently looked like she was nursing another flask of some alcoholic content, her eyes looking at him approach with the look of someone who really wouldn't be unwilling to engage in a dance, the chattering of Professor Port, in rare form today, giving him a look and a hidden thumbs-up. _'Well... That makes sense...'_

"May I have this dance, my lady?" Her eyes narrowed, her lips pressing tightly together in a thin line, as she handed the flask to her bodyguard, who seemed to have been in the shadows, the man offering her another. She took it, holding it out to him.

"Drink this." She said, with her voice strict. He could feel revulsion take over, knowing Willow's own issues with the drink, warring with what he had seen before. He looked at her and then saw the look in those eyes, before he took a sip, handing it back. The alcoholic drink stung in his mouth, his eyes following Sienna's for the moment as she let her gaze linger on him, a soft sound in the back of her throat following along as she grabbed the flask and downed it a single go. "Good stuff. It'll put some hair on your chest."

Despite having a sip, he felt a little woozy, her eyes looking at him as if he'd failed some test. "Let's just dance, Sienna." He said, feeling suddenly emboldened, as he grabbed her by the hand and led her. She seemed to be trying to resist, yet gave in, seemingly deciding that it would not be worthy to make a scandal of such a thing.

"I thought you'd dismiss it." She said, looking into his eyes with her own animalistic golden-orange eyes, the colour shifting slightly, depending on the lighting.

"Sometimes, it's better to take a sip and to experience, than to never know it." He said, as his hand settled on her hip, his other hand in hers, as they started a slow dance together, the music enough, as she hissed at him.

"That's your problem, Arc. Always thinking about yourself... Always being the 'hero'." Her voice was not quite a slurring tone, yet she was definitely intoxicated. He knew her when she was drunk, and could tell how drunk she was right now. "Fuck, sometimes I just want to rip your head off your neck and see whether you've got something regarding a spine in there."

Several of the students took a little broader path around them on the dance floor, as she looked into his eyes, several students giving him a pitying look. "Well, I don't think a little kitten like you should be able to do that." Her eyes flashed, as she pushed herself closer to him, nearly nose to nose.

"You think you're something special, Arc?" Her voice growled, the alcoholic smell strong as it hit his nose. He stared into those fierce predatory eyes. "Think that you're the gods' gift to Faunus?"

He grabbed her ass and gave it a squeeze. Strong muscles below the flesh pushed back against his hand. "What're you going to do about it, Khan?" He grinned. It might be the alcohol in his system, or it might be some left-over from Willow, yet he felt confident, as his hand slid up again, a light shudder running through Sienna's body.

"Whip that god-damn ass of yours into shape, of course." Her own hand, laid on his shoulder, gave it a pinch, as she stared at him with a look that made her look fierce and unflinching, her expression untamed and wild. "You're a weak little bitch..."

Her voice growled, as he pulled her closer, their feet barely stopping from getting entangled, yet there was that moment between them now, something that would not stop. He felt close enough to kiss, yet... she moved out again. "You're all talk." He accused.

* * *

"Oh, I'm all talk?" Her knee brushed against his groin, a bolder move than she'd intended. The moment that he had gone for her ass, she had felt the challenge rise up inside her, as he initiated. _'That's it...'_

She could feel a spike in her hormones immediately, as she felt her body heat up. "You better watch out, boy... Or I'm going to strip you bare and raw and salt you and hang you like jerky." The feelings inside her were like a raging torrent, as her eyes glanced around. Every Faunus member of the student body and several of the teachers were taking their time to stay out of her way, the subconscious hierarchy within the world known on some instinctive level.

It was no longer a dance between human and Faunus, no... Her blood sizzled and exploded in her veins, as she was drawn into his eyes. The moment where he was close, she had pulled away, the desire to claim him rising in her... A test for him, starting from the first sip of the flask with extra-strong liquor that she needed for her fortitude.

"Even if you're going to strip me raw, I'm still going to be better than you, Khan." It was loaded rhetoric, yet one that she could waylay easily, as she pulled him into a dance where she would take the lead, his steps following.

It was not a dance that was understood by humans. She caught sight of the two partners in crime, the assassin and his little green-haired tart, both allied to Cinder... Her own feelings took over, as her feet found the steps. "Hard words, mister Arc." Her voice held the sensual edge of the moment when she was going to snap with a witty comeback, or a vicious tearing down. "Are you sure that you can back those up?"

A low growl in the back of his throat, as his eyes looked into her. Hard like the icy-cold core of Atlas elite society, looking at her. A surge of something inside her flowed, as she growled deeply in return. "I will have you kneel, Sienna." The words resonated, as she inhaled deeply. He had barely spoken at louder than a whisper, yet the desire inside her flared at that raw potential, at the animalistic desire to claim and be claimed...

' _Show me what you're worth, Jaune.'_ The feeling of being superior above most Faunus was enough for her, yet in a partner, she craved more. The politics, it was for her kind, for her people. For herself... It had been an arduous task, as the dance changed, and he took the lead again, a swift tango.

"Oh? I'd like to see what army you bring..." Her voice was heated, as her eyes stared into his, never leaving him. She knew well that this would be a moment, a test... a chance. "Little boy."

Anger blazed in those eyes, as she felt his grip go, and she motioned, turning and twisting, her back against his chest, as her hands remained. Sure, it wasn't an accurate tango, but she wasn't going to go and show her body off. "So much for a little boy, huh..." She hissed at him, as he hadn't given her a response that made her satisfied.

Disappointment went through her, as she pressed herself up against him, her somewhat slighter form letting her feel something with her behind. A savage smirk grew on her face, as she was then led through another set of steps, the knowledge that he was aroused by her presence giving her new energy.

"Or perhaps... A big boy, not ready to be a man?" The eyes blazed, as he guided her through the steps a little rougher, the embrace part which came then with the beat of the music putting his face close to her.

"Oh, you should shut up, Sienna..." There was a hint of danger in his voice, as he breathed a little heavier. Her own breathing was heavier as well, as she wrapped a leg around him, the motion intimate and yet appropriate for the dance.

"Afraid I'm going to break you, like you usually are during our little sparring sessions, human?" It was a taunt, a tease and something else, as her voice turned darkly sensual, her eyes blazing and sparking as she felt the aura of the man flare up.

This wasn't just a single dance between a human and a Faunus...

This was the dance of tigers.

* * *

The sight of Jaune and the High Leader of the White Fang dancing a tango was something that took her breath away. She hadn't even gotten her dance yet, but the sight of the two dancing just stole her attention.

She wasn't the only one looking. The sight of Professor Goodwitch with an actual look of being impressed was there, as the two partners worked in tandem, the elegance of his steps different than the clumsy manner in which he often held himself, the way that he anticipated, the intimacy of such a dance (as she'd seen often enough in the romantic movies that she'd seen before) being portrayed perfectly. Sure, there was the grimace and irritation on Khan's face, but that seemed to be contrary to the moves that her body made.

"I can't believe it..." Blake mumbled, perhaps a touch louder than that. There was a moment where one of the insults that Sienna slung at Jaune was particularly audible, the White Fang's leader giving a scathing retort, to which Jaune's own comment fell in the blue, several of the other couples doing worse impressions of the tango than they were, but Blake seemed to be biologized by the sight of the two dancing there.

"Yeah, she's cussing him out pretty badly, despite making it look... pretty darn hot." Professor Oobleck, who was standing nearby, looked at the two of them and decided to regale them with his opinion. She didn't think it really added much, personally.

"It is a Vacuan dance that was introduced nearly thirty years post-Great War, as a dance to show trust and interaction. With dancing like this, they are conveying a message of equality and peace, even if Miss Khan has her own opinions... It still is a step forward to human-Faunus cooperation to see such an event happen." The man's speech was faster than they could follow, but Yang knew that the man meant well.

"That's great, Doctor Oobleck." The man smiled at her for using the proper title, and she was happy that she at least had been able to get the man's approval for some things.

"No, that's not it... Look at the other Faunus." Blake said, as Yang let her gaze go through the room, watching several of the Faunus who had shrank back a little. Spotting the bodyguards that Sienna Khan had brought, she could see them looking nervous, their hands trained on their weapons.

"So, the Faunus are a little nervous..." She said, Blake shaking her head.

"It's... It's hard to describe if you don't feel it. There's... There's a certain feeling, a certain instinct inside you that tells you how high the people are in the hierarchy..." The explanation didn't make too much sense, but it clearly did make sense to Professor Oobleck.

"Ah, Faunus theory... Yes, it has been said that there is a strict hierarchy within the Faunus. They will select their leader from the fittest and the strongest, or the most eloquent and charismatic. It is a position that is mutable, to select the best for the job, a position that Miss Khan has held on to for years." The man's voice was swift, as he directed his gaze on Blake. "Tell me, is it a general sense of oppression that they feel, or is it more a warning of 'do not interfere'?"

Blake's eyes turned to the man, away from the sight. "It is... hard to describe. My father was High Leader of the White Fang for years, so I am probably more 'used' to it than others, but... There is a certain instinct in me that tells me that the two dancing there are... " She flushed. An actual blush came to her cheeks. "Definitely not to be trifled with. Khan will tear your throat out if you challenge her, and Jaune... he's got... he's got that drive inside him that just makes me want to tie him to the bed and make him give me kittens."

She turned a deathly pale colour as she realized that she'd said that out loud, Yang and the professor looking at her, synchronously blinking. "I... see. Is it more of a mate selection deal, for you personally?" The man was asking such things without considering the setting that they were in, yet the music was loud enough to stop most people from overhearing.

Blake looked a little shiftily to the side. "It's not... it's not like that. You see... It's..." A shudder went through her, as she seemed to realize who she was talking to, and what she'd said. "It's not something we should talk about. It's impolite."

The professor nodded. "Thank you for your time, Miss Belladonna. The phenomenon has been spotted in several of the students who attended Beacon, so it is an enlightening moment to have the perspective of someone on it, during a demonstration." The man's hand pushed his glasses up a little, as he looked at the dancing pair. "Is the amount of insults and taunts that she throws at him normal?"

"No, but..." Blake shook her head. "Nothing makes sense anymore. Mom said that-" Blake seemed to realize something, as her gaze went to the two dancers, splitting apart for a moment, a whirling step by him, met with a twirl from her, elegant motions that worked to outline their bodies, as the music slowly switched to another number. They separated then, Sienna adjusting her dress a little and Jaune taking the time to get himself a drink. Some of the Faunus and regular students offered some applause, which Sienna received with a sour expression on her face, skulking off towards the refreshments for something to drink.

Yang would imagine that she'd be thirsty too after she'd just had a bump and grind session with Jaune as well... Oof. "That was pretty amazing... Let's see if he wants to dance." She walked to him, Blake remaining behind, the motions of 'don't do it' made by Blake going ignored.

"So, hot shot... Wanna dance?" She asked, even with him bending over the refreshment table and getting a glass of something lemonade-like. He looked at him with a challenging look, as he downed the drink and set the glass down in the 'used' section, looking at her.

"Sure."He said, taking her by the hand. She felt the looks of the people on her, as she began to feel him guide her to the dance floor, a quick dance, just her style, accepting his leading.

' _This is great.'_

She was dancing with a cute guy, one who she'd confessed to about the true self that she kept hidden, and the world couldn't be better.

* * *

As he finished the dance with Pyrrha, he cast a glance at Sienna, whose taunts had been fierce and passionate during the tango. It had been the perfect moment for the two of them, Pyrrha smiling at him all of a sudden. "Go and have one of the final dances with her, Jaune. She is your date, after all."

Sienna currently was lounging with one of her flasks, this time filled with some sort of amber liquid, her eyes focusing directly on him. That gaze had been irate, angry at times, as he danced with the girls that he had owed a dance to. He didn't know where Ruby was, or what had happened to draw General Ironwood's attentions away from him, but it was high time that he do as Pyrrha suggested.

"May I have this dance, High Leader Khan?" Her eyes blazed, as she threw the flask at the bodyguard, who caught it, the look in her eyes fierce.

"You're a dick." She growled, her voice definitely affected by the alcohol that she'd been consuming all night long. That tango had been intense, not only for the fact that she worked with him nearly perfectly, but also for the feeling that she'd evoked inside him.

"And you're a bitch, despite being a tiger." He threw back, a growl coming from her throat. Around them, the Faunus members of the student body inched away, as he started to push her into another dance, the sensation strong.

"Try me, little pussy Human." Her voice was strong, as her hands gripped his. "You don't have the balls to challenge Sienna Khan." The challenge was met, as he pulled her closer than the dance would normally allow, pressing her against him.

"How about I show you that I've got balls, Khan?" His voice took on that deeper growl, as his hands shifted a little on her back, letting her feel the touch of his hands, a soft growl following along with the sensation, as they separated just a little, her steps becoming a little more disjointed. He could see those eyes, flaring up passionately and wrathfully.

"You don't have the guts, Arc. I'll never let you." She was passion incarnate, as she danced with him, the statement a fact, to her. "You'll never ever amount to what I could want, you little human. You don't have status, you don't have a fortune, you-"

It was a mean move, but he pressed the point on her back that Kali had told him about, the sentence cutting off, as Sienna looked at him, anger flashing on her face. "You a-"

"Eh, hush." He said, and she obeyed for the moment. "None of that crap. You're just Sienna to me." The look in those eyes was enough, as she opened her mouth again to speak. "What?"

Baring her teeth, she moved with a bit of a twist, nearly pushing him down to the ground. "Don't get fresh with me, human. We are a proud and loyal species." The look in her eyes was murderous, as something seemed to explode in those depths.

"Trainable like a common house-cat." He hissed at her, and she actually punched him in the chest. His aura fizzled a little, yet it held, her eyes looking at him.

"We're going to beat each other up, Arc." She growled, as her hands tried to wrestle themselves free, yet he kept holding on to her, continuing the dance. "Arc, didn't you hear me?"

He growled at her, a response to her own growl, and she stiffened a little, her Faunus ears twitching a little, flattening, yet her gaze burned with that fierce fire that attracted him like a moth to the flame. "We're going to make the world a better place for Faunus and humans, Sienna." Her name, spoken so familiarly, was there to make the point, yet the look on her face was fierce.

"Let's fucking get that fight out of the way, Arc." She was dragging him along, off the dance floor, her gaze to the bodyguards and then making a motion with her hands for them to follow her. He could spot Winter Schnee giving them a look, but he dismissed her out of his thoughts. It wasn't like she would matter too much in this grand game.

As she dragged him along, he became aware of her heavy breathing, her flushed cheeks and the way that she'd gotten a death grip on his shirt, his fingers grabbing a hold of her hand, but not pulling it away. He was aware of the course that they were taking, as it led them to the dorms. "Where are we going, the f-"

She growled at him, her eyes looking at him. "Shut up." Her voice was tense and strained, as they continued. Coming to his door, he watched as she stood there. "Open it up." She said, her voice directing him to do so. He looked at the bodyguards, before sliding his Scroll over the door. "You will stand guard here and allow nobody entrance to this room." She commanded, her gaze to the two fierce. "Otherwise I will make you feel worse than that time you challenged me." The two glanced at each other and then nodded, as Sienna pushed him into the room.

"Sienna, what-" The look on her face was enough, as she closed the door with a slamming sound. She pushed him back, towards the beds, her face looking heated, dark skin darkened by blood flowing through it, her eyes half-narrowed.

"I don't do this for every guy that comes along. I could have the choice of the litter, the best of the best, Faunus of good breeding and good standing." Her voice was nearly pleading, nearly whining about the thing she was speaking about.

"But it had to be you. It had to be you, you god-damn fucking human." Her voice was laden with cues, subtle tones and shift, frustration and anger, even as her hand went to her dress's clasp, pulling it open with a single twist. The garment dropped to the ground and she unveiled herself, as she growled.

"We're going to make this relationship official now, Jaune. " She paused, as if waiting for something, her expression looking as fierce as she could make it, his face showing a lack of comprehending, as most of his thought processes had halted at:

'O _h my gods, those are some damn fine titties!'_

He felt something push against his chest, as her eyes looked up at him. "What? Am I not good enough for you? Would you rather have that white-haired bimbo?" The accusation was enough to show the hurt in her voice, even as his hormonal teenage mind kick-started itself, even as he realized that this was a situation that was going to end up in one way – sex.

"Sienna, you're amazing, and I'd-" Her eyes met his, and her hand grabbed his crotch.

"This is going to be mine. It's going to go in me and you're going to fucking make those balls cum dust by the bucket when I'm doing your skinny lame human ass..." Her voice growled at a husky, near-hoarse tone, her eyes looking at him with that look that he'd seen a few times in Willow.

"We're going to fuck, Jaune Arc. You're going to give me all of that love and you're going to love me in the way that I want." Her eyes were domineering, like a tigress spotting its prey. Inside him, something awakened, as his hand grabbed a hold of her breast, giving it a squeeze.

"You're on, tiger kitten."

And the game was on.

* * *

 **This is an advancement that is going to make people happy. They're going to dance the horizontal tango. *confetti***

 **Who do you think is the more dominant one in the bedroom? Kind of curious about your impressions of that.**

 **This was actually one of the first scenes for The dance of tigers that I came up with. It was going to be a one-shot thing, about an unlucky dance partner, but then I went to world-build and it became like this. For some reason, I can't do small chapters.**

 **Dies Irae is going to be the replacement fic for The dance of tigers, once I'm done with this story. If you enjoy a very dark Salem, it might be for you.**

 **Next chapter will be out in two weeks! Anniversary chapter, wooh!**


	32. Salsa

**Chapter 32: Salsa**

 **The smutty parts of this are on Archive of our Own, just look for Cyanide Sins. I am not going to put graphic smut in this place, because people are assholes who will try their best to get you taken off the site for just writing a pairing they don't like.**

* * *

She felt nervous energy go through her as she saw the couple move, Sienna Khan's expression shifting to something a little more predatory, the white dress that she currently wore feeling awfully hot and tight on her body. Yang Xiao-Long could appreciate a good-looking young man. "Do you think they'll be beating each other up again, Blake?" She questioned her partner, who merely looked at the couple as they disappeared in the direction of the training facilities and the dorms.

"Hmm…" Blake's voice was flat as she spoke, her eyes looking at the retreating pair as they walked, her tongue sliding over her lips.

"Come on, snap out of it." The two bodyguards that went with Khan every step of the way followed along as well, as Yang saw them disappear. "Shall we follow after them? This party is mostly over anyways." She could see the face of the mint-green haired girl's team leader appear there, as the woman seemed to have a ruffled dress, her golden eyes holding some distaste, as she was grilling her teammate on something.

She nudged Blake. "You able to figure out what they're talking about?" Blake's ears twitched, as she leaned to the side, her face showing a puzzled expression.

"High Leader Khan, and what her goals for attending here were. Emerald seems to be a little confused as to why her leader is a little upset, though there was a… rip in the dress? Strange. It doesn't make sense. Why would a Mistralian student be worried about Sienna Khan?" Yang looked at the woman, taking note of the attire that the woman wore, her eyes noticing the small features, the woman turning right to her. She broadened her smile a little and then gave a thumbs-up before she kissed Blake close to her lips.

"Play along for a bit… just for a song." They'd come together, after all, so it wasn't anything to really be surprised about. Her eyes caught sight of the green-haired girl's flush, as her gaze went down.

"She's not pleased with the insinuation that the two of them dance, Yang… Though Emerald seems to be trying to defuse the situation." Yang didn't have any issue with being thought of as gay. She knew her own sexuality pretty damn well, and it featured guys who looked good in white, had a nice batch of blonde hair and an attitude that could keep up with her own.

"Seriously, fuck em." Blake smirked, leaning close.

"That's what Sienna Khan's going to be doing, if I've read her cues right. It's not something that you'd really speak of, but… The hierarchy is pretty real." The words that she spoke were calmer, as Blake glanced through the room. "Every Faunus has some sort of spot on the hierarchy, whether they know it or not. It is that primal part of the brain that you have forgotten."

' _That's actually pretty darn interesting.'_

"A Pogrom is a grand melee in order to determine who the most fit fighter is that can assume the role of leader. Sienna Khan managed to eke out a win, my father managed to eke out a win… And it was assumed that they would mate together, despite their age difference." It must've showed on her face, as Blake giggled lightly.

"My mother would have nothing of it, so she poisoned Sienna's tea and then beat her to a pulp with a baseball bat. They became great friends afterwards, even though Sienna is twelve years younger or something…" Blake shrugged, as if it was completely normal. "So… Jaune is probably going to get dominated in the bedroom."

The idea was… hot. It brought to mind an image of restraints, of a hand running through blonde hair as she'd push herself into the proper position, looking into his eyes… and Sienna Khan might be doing that. "Is that normal?" She asked Blake, who didn't look as comfortable as she did.

"It is… it's actually more of a fifty-fifty split. Whoever can make the other one submit, generally has the most power in the relationship. Say, if we were to date and go for the bedroom, you'd be able to establish dominance over me if you forced me to admit it. Half of our type of relationship is about ensuring that you eke out a win, no matter what. The subjugated party would have to be… not lesser, but know their place." Blake paused, grimacing.

"And then there's Faunus family dynamics. A tricky subject to get into, but there is a good reason why I am an only child." That seemed to be a dead-end, as far as the conversation went, Blake's eyes flashing with mild annoyance as she looked at the other couples seemed to taper off. "Let's head to bed. Weiss and Ruby are nowhere to be seen, so I reckon that they've decided to go and be some sort of better besties."

To hear Blake say it like that brought a flash of distrust to her eyes, as Blake smiled at her. "We're going to listen. It would be rude if we didn't eh… check on whether he needed assistance, right? The rights of the bedroom extend to all Faunus wishing to challenge."

' _She just wants to listen to them.'_ That was normal Blake-thought. With the smut that she read, there was a good chance that the entire reason was just an excuse. "Alright, alright… Let's save our blonde knight from the big bad Khan."

As they came up to their dorm room, she could see the two bodyguards posted outside the door, the two women snappily dressed, yet with the faint business air of professionals, their hands arranged in such a fashion that they'd be easily able to draw their weapon. "Howdy, eh… is it comfortable, standing outside a door all the time?"

The two bodyguards gave her a look, both women regarding her with a look. "Please move along. We are standing guard here." That wasn't enough for her, as she firmed her stance.

"Now listen here one moment, I've got to have some words with the guy who's in the room with her."The two bodyguards looked at each other and then shrugged.

"No can do. They're having post-battle negotiations." The bodyguard seemed to stick to the story that it was just a friendly discussion post-match, Yang not buying it for one moment. She moved for the door, about to open it, only to find one of the bodyguards intruding in her personal space. She pushed the woman back against the door with a loud thud.

"I won't be stopped. If he's being hurt or something, I deserve the right to check up on my friend." Yang's eyes blazed as the Faunus bodyguard fixed her with a look, the woman's face sharp as she began to gear up for combat, the gritting of the teeth.

"He is busy. High Leader Khan will ensure that no harm is done to him." The woman said, as anger flared in Yang's heart.

' _He could be getting eaten by the woman for all we know!'_

She wasn't stupid! "I'll be getting through that door whether you like it or not! Step aside or be messing with the Yang. And if you don't, I-" The door opened a crack, showing the blonde face of the man who she was looking for. "Ah, hey Jaune." The smell of the room was… heavy. She could smell the pheromones that were released in that room, whilst the bodyguards glanced at him.

"Do you think you could stop hitting the door? We're… a little busy." She could see the look on his face be relaxed and calm, as if he had only brushed over the briefest of nuisances, the look calm still, with his eyes looking into her own.

"As long as… As long as you're okay." She said, flushing a little. It was pretty clear what he and Sienna Khan were doing, the bodyguards giving each other a look even whilst Jaune gave a chuckle and shut the door.

"I told you… It's all about the effort expended." Blake said, her voice sounding more annoyed, Yang's hand balling into a fist. "Make sure that you've got the proper mannerisms and you can get into any facility."

The bodyguards sighed. "You're Chieftain Belladonna's daughter, aren't you?" One of the women asked, her face showing some minor interest, as they stood in front of the door. The look on her partner's face grew moodier, as she nodded.

"The High Leader speaks fondly of your father, and him. Being with the young gentleman is… apt." They were hinting at the Pogrom, though it seemed to be a topic that wasn't really spoken of casually. "They complement each other, despite their differing status."

She could see it. Sienna Khan, a mature woman who didn't take any shit from anyone and Jaune Arc, the man who made her heart beat faster and inspired really naughty dreams. She wasn't going to be shy about wanting it, on the outside, but internally, she was quivering. "They do look neat. Their dance was great."

The bodyguard on the right, with short hair, nodded. "It was a good method for him to show her his eligibility. The tension and the dominance that he pushed onto her was reciprocated." The look on the woman's face was wistful, as she sighed. "We probably won't be getting anywhere near as good a specimen as him, right?" The other bodyguard grunted, the woman's stern face looking like it needed relief.

"It's eh… apparently normal in Faunus society? I mean, Blake tried to explain it…" There wasn't much else to do than to wait and converse with these two women. Khan couldn't be staying over all night, after all.

"Three to four wives for exemplary men is not unusual, neither is two to three men for an exemplary woman. Mom always said that she was the only one and that she'd make a money pouch out of dad if he tried." Blake added, her cheeks flushing.

' _Faunus society is weird… I mean… Dad had two wives and they were on his team, but Summer didn't go for sloppy seconds… Eh... Shit, I think she might've... Damn.'_ Thinking about that just made her feel a little sick. She wasn't going to think about her step-mom taking advantage of her dad!

"Well, I guess it's something cultural… Not like we don't have any weird habits or anything."The bodyguards nodded, as if they agreed with that sentiment, her eyes catching sight of the two bodyguards looking behind her.

Winter Schnee, leading six soldiers that bore the crest of Atlas on their shoulders, approached, her steps as measured as possible, like the heir to some hoity-toity family would be doing. The way that she'd raised her chin, even in the dress that she wore, was important to Yang, as it tickled her 'this is going wrong' sense.

"Is High Leader Khan present? I wish to inquire about her whereabouts an hour ago." The woman's voice was in clipped toned, the fighting words being spoken, as the woman's weapons were at her side. Yang thought that she'd seen a weapon curled around the woman's arm as well when she'd danced with Jaune, yet she wasn't fully certain of it.

"She is, yet she has requested no interruptions whilst ensuring that the human learns his proper etiquette." The formalese for 'they fuckin' definitely sounded a lot better, even if the Atlesian Specialist seemed to take it in stride.

"I have my orders from General Ironwood himself." The woman raised herself up with all of the haughtiness that she could muster, Yang spotting the woman's face as she made that expression even more difficult, her eyes glinting with that superior attitude. A snap of her fingers and her bracelets unfolded into Ember Cecilia. _'Ruby would put Crescent Rose in her corset if she could get away with it… But dad said that I should never be out at a party without my weapon.'_

"Well, I'm taking offence, Miss Schnee. I tried to get at my friend Jaune as well, and he was looking a bit distracted… So why don't we both wait here, with no need for a fight, huh?" The cocky language she didn't feel like spouting, yet the Schnee woman would be doing something, as her face frowned, her gaze resting on her. _'Yeah, this is going to be a fight…'_

"I do not see what you could hold to gain from this, Miss Xiao-Long. You are obstructing justice, General Ironwood has given express permission for me to use as much force as I can to achieve the High Leader's arrest." Yang glanced at Blake, who looked a little put out.

' _Yeah… Sorry Weiss, but your sister is a bitch.'_ "Well, I'm afraid you're going to have to go through myself, Blake and these two fighting femmes. Since when did General Ironwood become dictator of Vale, huh?" The soldiers looked at Winter, whose face was turning an interesting shade of red, anger in her features.

"The General is in charge of protection around the Vytal festival! I will not be waylaid by some party girl who has the bad graces to get in the path of Atlas." The rhetoric wasn't to her liking, and she looked at Blake.

"The General can get his ass out here himself if he wants to. If Khan wants to thrash my friend again, I'm sure that she's got her reasons." She was being bold, yet this was no time for the Schnee woman to make a fuss. If Jaune wanted Khan, he wanted Khan. She could be a good girl and defend him from this woman who wanted to break up that moment when they finally would get it on, and it was her sacrifice to make. She didn't like it, but it was not going to be her who suffered the wrath of Jaune.

"So be it." The woman flickered forward, a block executed just in time to guard against the sword and dagger strike, her back hitting the door again, someone being quite pissed off as they spoke at a loud tone about blondes and something about a pie.

Winter Schnee leapt back, avoiding Gambol Shroud's cleaving edge, the woman straightening once more. "This is against the rules and regulations, Miss Xiao-Long, Miss Belladonna. Everything here has gone in accordance with protocol."

The door creaked as it opened, the annoyed sound of a man coming from behind her. The smell of sweat and sex was growing stronger, as she noticed that Blake shifted a little, her eyes glinting, as they stood there.

"Mister Arc, is Sienna Khan with you?" The curt way that Winter spoke did not betray her utterly messed up priorities. Jaune's annoyance was visible in his manner of breathing, a little out of breath as it was.

"Yes, she is. What the hell do you want with her, Specialist Schnee?"The irritated voice of the young man who made her heart beat a little faster was just enough for her to feel the gush of endorphins in the primitive part of her brain, as she could feel the warmth. Someone in the background gave an expletive that she couldn't quite hear, yet it was clear that it was referring to Winter.

"Please ensure that she is handed over post-haste. General Ironwood has questions." The answer to that was something that seemed to irk him more than the interruption. She could smell the scent of a masculine body behind her, her body feeling the need burn within it, as she realized that he was most likely not wearing anything more than a towel.

"Specialist Schnee, you can return in the morning and I am sure Miss Khan will be more than happy to-" The sound of an angry predatory feline was audible from the darkened room behind him, Yang feeling a shudder race down her spine.

"If Schnee's got a problem with me, drag her in here and send her back to Atlas on maternity leave!" The woman shouted at Jaune, who seemed to suppress the urge to sigh, though Yang didn't quite turn around fully yet. Winter was turning pale-faced in her anger, the soldiers who had come with her looking a little unsettled.

Yang turned to look at him whilst one of the bodyguards looked at his shoulder, the long claw marks that had torn the skin open visible on the skin. She winced a little. That looked like it hurt.

Before Winter could speak, Jaune spoke up. "You know what? I'm going to go back to bed, tell Khan about what's what with you and you can come back in the morning when I've had a shower and try to sexually assault me again." She couldn't suppress a grin, knowing just how it'd looked when he'd knocked Winter out with a foot to the face after sending her crashing through a door.

"Good evening." Whilst he spoke, the towel slipped loose and Yang caught sight of what the weapon between his legs was like. _'Now that's a Katana.'_

"Well… That's a zweihander." She fanned herself, looking at Blake who had turned a bright red, her eyes not seeming to leave that tool of female pleasure. _'Someone's going to be sharing the literature with me tonight…'_

The door slammed shut and she could hear a faint sound of Sienna calling him a bitch, as the soldiers looked at Winter with an uncomfortable look.

"Yeah, I mean, I know you must be all pent up in the Atlas military, but that's no way to steal a man!" She didn't know what spurred Winter on, yet the thought of the woman trying to do something to Jaune just made her feel bolder than she'd felt before.

"I do not need to use force to obtain a man!" Winter said, her cheeks a red colour, as she seemed to puff up. Weiss appeared at that moment, just in time to listen to that last statement, her face showing her irritation.

"What are you doing here, sister?" The look on Winter's face grew more bothered, Yang could tell from the minute little twitches that she showed.

"Attempting to seize Sienna Khan on suspicion of interference with the CCT." Weiss looked ill-pleased with that, as she looked at the door.

"In front of Mister Arc's door? Sister, I do believe that he's made it quite clear that he rejects your advances. May I suggest that you… attempt other measures? There are Scroll apps for such… things, rather than to merely ambush a young man and attempting to abduct him to your lodgings." Weiss nailed it better than she could've, a look on the woman's face apoplectic. _'Woah… That's one hell of a diss, Weiss.'_

"I do not require your assistance to obtain a man, Weiss." The frosty tone was enough, as the heat flushed those cheeks. "I am well-catered to, in the instance of such things."

"Yes, you're dating our uncle. Who tends to run away from most responsibilities." Yang added, Winter's face turning dark as she glared at her.

"Specialist Schnee, I have requested that you fetch Miss Khan for some questions… Why have you failed in your assigned duty?" The strict voice of the Atlas general came from behind the soldiers, who neatly stepped aside in order to allow the man the time to pass through, Winter performing a crisp salute. Yang could see the Headmaster and Professor Goodwitch trailing behind the general.

"General Ironwood, the objective has been hiding behind the door, in conjunction with Mister Arc. Faunus etiquette lessons are being discussed, or some-such has been reported." The woman's voice was curt enough that the man's face tensed up.

"Have you attempted to be civil with High Leader Khan?" Winter's face showed her frustration, as she let her gaze drift away.

"High Leader Khan has suggested that if I interrupt her discussion, she is going to send me back to Atlas on maternity leave, sir." The man's face was stern, as Yang could see the headmaster's face twitch a little into what might be a smile.

"I… see." The man said, as he calculated whatever he was calculating in his head. "Headmaster Ozpin, may I request your assistance with this matter?" The headmaster's eyes met hers for a moment before they met the General's, as she stepped aside.

"Of course. High Leader Khan is a woman worthy of our respect, so it would be hardly any issue for me to politely request that she appear."The man knocked on the door, the bodyguards not stopping him, an insistent knocking.

Nearly ten minutes later, the door opened and Sienna Khan emerged, her hair somewhat damp and the dress looking as immaculate as it always did, Yang smelling the faint hint of shampoo on the woman. "Oh, it's you, Irondick."

General Ironwood's face was ill amused, though she could see Professor Goodwitch's face twitch a little. The headmaster still had that look of bemusement on his face.

This was entertaining, at least.

* * *

"That's General Ironwood for you, High Leader Khan." The man corrected, though she could see that the deputy headmistress had a little half-grin on her face. "I would like to invite you over for tea… There has been a break-in at the CCT, and I-"

"Now hold on a moment, General Ironwood. What exactly do you think I was doing here, huh? Do I look like I've got any business with the CCT when I've been instructing Arc in the proper way of Faunus etiquette?" She noticed her bodyguards sharing a look and Blake turning crimson in the face, clearly having noticed the smell.

"You beat me up first, Sienna." The man looked at Jaune before she stepped in front of him.

"Nah-uh. March your metal ass back to your ships. I've got other things to do… like getting back home and crawling into bed, hoping that I get the stench of human off me." The man seemed to be satisfied with that, as he cleared his throat.

"There is still the matter of the threats against Specialist Schnee. I-" Sienna snorted.

"I didn't specify which Schnee. There's three. One's a cunt who's married to your metal butt, another's a cunt whose husband is responsible for a whole load of problems and number three is a cunt who's got the spine of a wet noodle." The girl made a sound of disagreement, yet Sienna couldn't give a damn. "I'm just being logical."

She had standards!

"Plus, all you've got is hearsay, as you weren't present and all corroborating statements are given either by your subordinates or by mine, or by third-party acquaintances who all have different allegiances." The bit of wordplay, a little twist on the words that would not get her into the hot water, was enough. Most people would be seriously annoyed if they were interrupted during their playtime with their partner, so it wasn't too unfeasible.

"But if you want me to pay the fine for insulting a member of the glorious Specialist corps..." She snapped her fingers, pulling out a one-hundred and two twenty Lien cards out. "Here's your fine. Consistent with Atlas official standards, handed to the highest officer in charge. Specialist Schnee may not be in function officially, but I know how this goes."

A measly 140 Lien was worth the insult. She'd gotten _laid._ She had been _fucked._ She was on fucking cloud nine and she felt damn _good._

"We will be asking questions about your whereabouts at eleven in the evening. Please follow after us." She glanced at her bodyguards and then at the blonde bimbo girl that had an interest in her Jaune.

"Considering you've just been eyeballing me all night and seem to be having a bee in your bonnet, I reckon that this is just a simple yes-no question."The man looked stern, as his eyes met hers, a challenge within them.

"We will discuss this later, in private circumstances." She wanted to club him in the face a few times with her fist or something, her Dust Whip curled around her arm still.

"Gee... What an honour." She said, sarcastically. "Alone with the great and wonderful General Ironwood." Her snarky side was coming out in full force, as she looked at Winter. "You should learn how to give respect." The woman stared at her as if she was a disease. _'Damn, she needs a good fuck, she looks like she's not getting any for ages.'_

"Mister Arc, is it possible that we can have a brief chat? I wish to ply your mind with some questions." The Headmaster's voice was gentle, yet firm, Sienna having a sneaking suspicion that the man wanted to ask something that the other people should not be listening to. She glanced at Jaune, who had put on a casual jacket, glancing at him for a moment, shrugging lightly. _'Not my jurisdiction..._ _'_

She had a General who probably wouldn't be too amused by her terminology, but she wasn't on the clock right now. She was now going to be dealing with some allegations that'd be annoying to wash away. "We don't need a solicitor for 'just a few questions', right?" She asked the man, who shook his head.

"Good. Yes/no answers. That's the deal, and I will be recording the conversation." There would be little to do with official recordings in the court of law, yet the General would not be able to worry about that for too long. She was innocent of whatever he could cook up, after all.

* * *

Jaune looked at Sienna as she walked away, reminded of that moment when she'd been in his arms, in the shower. He remembered that feeling of power, that feeling of belonging, as her voice had egged him on, taunting and teasing.

"Sooo… How was that, huh? Did she beat you up enough to make you come crawling to mama Yang for some kissing of your boo-boos?" The look on her face was enough to annoy him, as Yang teased a little.

"She was most gracious in her verbal spar." The look on Blake's face was pained, as her ears twitched a little below the bow that she had worn.

"Yeah, I bet you were 'sparring' with her quite intensively, huh?" Professor Goodwitch gave Yang a look, the latter shutting up immediately once the gaze registered in that primal part of the brain that detected danger.

"A true man does not betray the secrets of his conversation with his date, Miss Xiao-Long." The amused snort that Yang gave showed that she was already dismissing it from her mind, as the Headmaster motioned with his hand.

"Do follow me to my office, Mister Arc." The man's voice was light, as he glanced around. He could spot several of the Atlas soldiers patrolling, as Professor Goodwitch and the Headmaster passed through the checkpoints that had been installed after the General had ordered a general lockdown.

As they ascended to the office, the Headmaster looked at his cane, the gears upon it shifting slightly, a push of the finger on one of the inner workings making a loud clicking sound happen. The man looked at him with eyes that seemed to hold amusement and a hint of interest in them, as the office stood before him.

"Mister Arc, do take a seat." The man said, as he sat himself down in the office chair that belonged to him, Professor Goodwitch taking a position at his side. As he sat down, he let his gaze sweep out towards the lights of Vale, the Headmaster clearing his throat after a moment.

"What do you think is the most important thing, Mister Arc, to our current world that we live in?" The question was abstract, and he knew Willow's answer immediately. _'Lien.'_ The feeling of her own cynical nature was faint in the back of his mind, as he provided his own version of the answer. _'Family.'_

"Family, sir. Without a family, you would have nothing left. My team is like my family, I would hate to lose them."The man nodded, Professor Goodwitch shifting a little. It might just be the post-sex feeling, yet for some reason, the woman looked incredibly attractive with that half-glaring look at him.

"If you were to face with opposition that is too powerful to destroy, what would you do?" The man inquired, his eyes hidden behind the green lenses of his glasses, leaning back in the chair and steepling his hands.

"I would try to make sure that they would not be able to lay a hand on my team, sir. If it cost me my life, so be it." A huntsman was there to protect those who were weak, those who could not defend themselves from the dangers of the world.

"If you had to choose between abandoning one of your team who betrays you on a mission… Or keeping them in your team, knowing what they have done is not right. What would you choose?" He could see Professor Goodwitch startle lightly. It was just a little twitch, yet her attention went to the man.

"In a hypothetical situation, Sir?" He asked, as he applied his strategic sense to the situation. If he were to look at it from Willow's perspective, he would cut out the danger before it would fester and harm the unity of the team, but personally… He knew that they would never voluntarily betray him. Pyrrha was the best partner he could wish for. Nora and Ren were simply too much in love with each other to properly think about betraying him.

The man's short nod, as well as his direct gaze was strict, as the man's tongue licked over his lips. "Treat it as a hypothetical for now. You are not in trouble, it is merely a question." A question that called his team in doubt.

"If they had betrayed me personally, yet focused on the well-being of others, I would have to say that I would keep them, rather than abandoning them. Four fighters are better than three and I would be able to interrogate them about the reason why, when we are in a safe position." The answer was a mix between the answers that he got, as his mind wondered what line of questioning this was.

The Headmaster looked at Professor Goodwitch, before he nodded. "A friend of mine was recently interred in a special medical capsule after an… unfortunate accident, Mister Arc. Would you be willing to use your Aura to allow her to recover? I would personally appreciate it if you were to lend me your assistance."

"Headmaster, I must object. Mister Arc is a first-year student, he does not have the ability to-" The man held up a hand, smiling softly.

"I trust that young mister Arc will be more than understanding, given the danger that our mutual friend has suffered. Now, you are under no obligation to aid us, especially with the suddenness of the request." The look on the headmaster's face was serious, as Professor Goodwitch looked offended.

"I would like to think that, due to our chat earlier in the month, we have some points at which we may agree, Mister Arc. If you accept, we can attempt to assist my dear friend's recovery." The look on the man's face was serious, as the urgency in his eyes showed through his posture.

"It is a matter of life and death for her, Mister Arc." Willow's face, appearing in front of his eyes. Suffering through that again, the stress of forcing her to breathe once more, his body stilling for an instant as he tried to imagine that feeling.

"I'll do it." He said, as he looked at the man. "It's not… It's not right. You're a good man, even if your circumstances vary a little. I wish…" The sigh that came from his lips, as he looked out at the window. "I wish that there'd be more people out there who would work for the benefit of Remnant."

Willow had lamented that a few times in her youth, yet now… Undoubtedly he would have a few messages.

"Very well… We can go and visit my friend now." The headmaster's words did not convey a sense of urgency, as Jaune looked up to the heavens. "Unless you would prefer to be well-rested? We can schedule a meeting first thing in the morning, if it would be better?"

He debated for an instant, before shaking his head. "I wasn't in a super shape when I… helped my friend." Willow had been so pale, so frail and weak. She had been a little spark that was within a dark room, the candle that he had re-lit with his own flame.

"What are you doing? James is going to have a conniption if he finds out." The Headmaster looked at his deputy, the man's lips firmly pressed together.

"It is better to try than to never have tried at all." The man said, his eyes looking at the clock, a tense look settling on his face. "Mister Arc, do come along then… Let's get you to meet with the young woman… Any improvement on her condition would be wonderful." The hope in his voice was enough for Jaune to accept the offer, with how the man's desire for healing of his friend had been.

"I can't provide a miracle, sir… But I will try." The man had the ability to expel him, the ability to make his life very hard, even if he still had alternatives.

"That is enough." The man said, nodding to him. He could hear Professor Goodwitch murmur something under her breath, yet as the man rose from his seat, he continued. "Let us be off then." The man walked to the elevator, hitting the button and waiting for the doors to open once again.

He got in together with the headmaster and Professor Goodwitch, his eyes catching sight of the nervous little tic in her face. _'She's nervous about something…'_

"The reason why I am trusting you with this task, Mister Arc, is because of your actions and your kindness. It takes a big heart to be able to engage with Sienna Khan and not treat her as her species." The man's voice was distant, as he looked at the numbers that slowly were decreasing. A hand grabbed the cane and then he flipped it open, pressing a button. A slower descent, pushing past the ground floor and then descending even lower.

Jaune could feel the coolness of the surroundings on the moment that the door opened up. The brief rush was enough, as he looked over the large hallway that stood before him. _'This is the size of Beacon's dining hall… and…'_ The path looked to wind, the hallway twisting. "Do not worry. The first barrier is the one of choice. We do not really allow students into this part of Beacon easily." The man hadn't answered at all about what this place was, his eyes looking at the surroundings. Professor Goodwitch looked serious whilst she did the same, the woman's eyes going to every corner.

"Now, if you'll follow along…" The man said, as he followed a narrow path over the tiles, his steps following a small etching in the tiles themselves, according to Jaune's own eyes.

He only looked up from his surroundings when the Headmaster stopped, his eyes looking at the pod that stood there, a brown-haired woman with some horrific scarring on her face asleep within it. _'That looks pretty bad…'_

"Ever since she was interred here, she's been hovering on the edge of life and death." The Headmaster said, and he understood.

"I'll see what I can do, Sir." The man moved to the control panel, pressing a few buttons and the pod opened up. The woman's breathing was ragged and pain seemed to express itself through her features.

He laid a hand on her face, trying to go for the most skin contact. Clammy skin, as his Aura burst to life and pushed into the woman.

" _So, mister Wizard… What do you think of the food?" The look on the bearded man's face was full of surprise, as her sisters were soon to come and return for this year. His gift to them had been useful, as her eyes met with it._

" _It is good, Autumn." The man replied, his eyes full of emotion. "It is good."_

Another understanding, as the scene twisted and turned around, his whole body shivering as he was drawn in.

" _Enough, Ozma! I won't entertain the notion!" The angry voice was enough for her to huddle behind the divan, the small crown of daisies that she wore still on her head, as her parents fought once more. "There will be no happiness for them whilst we have not consolidated our power. We will be as gods, not as mere 'elected officials' or what-not."_

 _She peered over the divan to see her parents standing opposite of each other, the warmth of her mother's face gone, her pale hair and features raging, as her head whipped to her direction and a warm smile came to her lips. "You… Oh, honey, mommy and daddy weren't fighting… Come here and give mommy a hug."_

 _Everything was fine with hugs._

 _The day after, everything was not fine. Her parents were fighting and throwing bolts of magic at each other. Her thoughts ended, as the ceiling came down on them._

A whirl of images. Different names, different times, different places. Autumn. Anna. Antiope. Annika. Amber.

" _So, you must maintain a distance from your target if you wish to use the magic that you've been bestowed by the luck of the gods." The man said, looking somewhat younger than he currently did, as a hint of nervousness spoke to her._

 _The voices were with her every time that she laid her head down to sleep, telling her of the lifetimes before, when she had been a huntress, a housewife, a woman of some importance or some low-life, all chosen by the gods… Or by the wizard, if she had to believe the eldest of the voices._

 _As she rode her horse, the girl who'd fallen off her bike drew her attention, and the world changed then._

He could feel himself being jerked out of the memories of Amber, aware of the feeling inside him that were not his own. Her breathing was more stable, the feeling of the warm flesh below his hand telling him that he'd succeeded a little at saving her, though it was…

He looked at his arms. Long bleeding gashes had been torn over the skin, right at the point where he'd felt the accomplices of the woman touch, his gut telling him that this wasn't a good thing.

Her eyes opened, as she took a deep breath. Eyes that had seen much, which had seen too much, opened and met with his own, a faint smile appearing on her face. "Thank… you."

She fainted again then, as he staggered away. He was idly aware of the feeling of someone catching him before he fell, coming face to face with Professor Ozpin.

"It worked, Mister Arc. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart."

Jaune didn't really think much about things anymore, as he felt himself become like the air, fluid and without consistency. Weightlessness, as he felt the power inside him sputter out. A Glyph appeared before his eyes, even with the memories worn down and bothered. A pain inside him, as he felt the memories slowly fade, his head shaking.

He tried to muster the feeling of the magic, yet he could not. Something blocked the power within him, a side-effect, obviously. "I feel… really sick."

He knew who had tried to kill Sienna. If Mercury Black, Emerald Sustrai and their team leader, Cinder Fall had been callous enough to attack some innocent woman who just wanted to help the world… Well… He'd have something to say about that.

"It is at least a moment that we have. She will recover, I hope… That she has woken up was already an improvement." Jaune could feel the connection with the woman whose body he had somewhat restored.

The mark on her face had been erased as if it had not been there, her breathing steady and even, as the read-outs of the pod showed that she was slumbering. _'She'll be out for a week or so, but at least she's conscious enough now…'_

"Alright, eh… I need to go and get myself to bed now. That took a bit more out of me than expected, Professor Ozma." The name was so easily used that he froze up a moment after using it, the man's expression showing conflict in his features, as his head turned away.

"Very well, child. You have seen more than you should have… But it is alright. You know why, don't you?" The answer was simple, as the man sighed.

"They reminded you of your daughters. The fight against your wife was enough to kill them, so you bestowed upon them these powers." He could see Professor Goodwitch's face turn serious, as she looked at the man, who sighed deeply.

"It was, indeed, influenced by that. You know more than you should, Mister Arc. It would be best if you keep such things between just the three of us." The man was not threatening, yet there was a grim tone to his voice.

"I can understand, Headmaster. Whatever the original Autumn maiden thought of you, it is still the love that you felt for those who reminded you of your children. That will never change." Professor Goodwitch seemed not to like this line of questioning if her frown was any indication of her mood.

"The way it is, is as it should be." The man said, the words mysterious and unknown as to what context it held.

"I do think I really should head to bed now." He mumbled, feeling drowsiness come up through him.

He barely registered how long it took for the Headmaster to get him back to the Beacon dormitories, only that he felt like he'd ran a hundred miles in order to get to the place.

As he opened the door, he came face to face with Nora, who held out a bucket. "Wash up, glorious leader! Your masculinity has left stains!" He took a look at the bed, which looked like it'd been hit by a warzone and a minor monsoon. _'Oh yeah…'_

"Did ya have fun?" The question was met with a short nod, as he started to get the ground around the bed cleared of the stray liquid.

"It was fun. Sienna provided a good argument." He glanced at the bed, where the bloodstains and the stains of male and female emissions had made a definite impression. _'I should've gotten plastic below the bed… That'd save the mattress at least… But she tore that up too.'_

"Damn… If that's how you two fuck, I don't want to offer myself for a threesome." The snort from his mouth was enough, as he heard his Scroll beep with an incoming call. He answered it, as he dunked the mop back in the bucket, cleaning the filth from it.

"Hello?" The amused chuckle that came from the Scroll was enough, Willow's voice clearly speaking up through the connection.

"I do hope that the picture that was sent to me was merely a good tease from Sienna… Because if that's an offer, you will find me to be interested." The words were spoken at a husky womanly voice, as the camera turned on. The business suit that she wore was immaculate, as the insides of her hotel apartment became visible.

"I'll keep that in mind…" He said, as she smiled at him.

"Good boy. You might've convinced Sienna that you're a good partner… But I've got experience on my side. I will have you beg for my touch, Jaune…" The words were devious and seductive, even with her eyes staring right at the camera.

"Yeah, that's what Sienna said too." The amused laughter that came from the woman was enough, as her tongue slid over her lips.

"Good boy… I look forward to getting you in my claws." Her expression was delighted, her eyes glinting faintly in the light of the room. "Do sleep well…"

He nodded. "Will do, do the same for me, alright?" The smile on her face was enough, as she ran a hand through her hair.

"I love you." The words slipped out from her lips, a surprised expression on her face before the Scroll connection cut off and he was left to stare at the icon that represented Willow and a **connection ended** message.

' _Well… That was a thing.'_

"I've got to send Yang the file… Bet she'll be happy with it." Nora said, as she retrieved her Scroll, looking at the image on the screen.

"Sure, eh… Whatever you want." He wasn't paying attention. If he had, he might've wondered where Nora had pulled the Scroll from, as she'd not been carrying it to the dance.

* * *

Yang glanced at her Scroll as it beeped, just about to settle comfortably in her bed. Weiss was already face-down in the pillow, having put on her sleeping mask, her little sister was currently in the process of making snore sounds and Blake was 'enjoying her literature', if there was any indication of the fast breathing and the little 'ahh' sounds that she made intermittently.

Opening the file up, the first thing she saw was the name – 'Dance, Khan x Arc Wrestling' – before the door opened and the aforementioned couple of Khan and Arc walked into the room. _'Ohh…'_

The dress hit the floor and she hit the pause button. "Blake, get your kitty ass up here and join me."

It might be partner-bonding or something else… But she was getting a video of Sienna Khan starkers, with Jaune no doubt soon to be starkers as well. _'Thank you Nora!'_

She turned the image to Blake, whose eyes went wide. Twenty seconds later, the two of them glanced at each other and Yang spoke up first. "We watch, we enjoy, we don't mention this in the morning."

This was too hot to pass up on.

* * *

 **Yeah… much has happened in this chapter. Ozpin's gambit. Jaune and Sienna getting it on (Which you can read about in the Archive of our Own place, I've got it uploaded there.), Yang and Blake to defend Jaune's chastity.**

 **For the people who can't find the erotic bits. The archive of our own site, add** **works/20272675 to the url. It should direct you to the proper place**

 **Plus, he knows now who the guilty are, even as Blake and Yang grow more suspicious of team CMEN.**

 **Thank you for reading The Dance of Tigers, for this anniversary chapter! I hope to be able to do another chapter in two weeks, if my health improves a little. It's troublesome being ill. But I'll soldier on!**

 **Thanks for the support! It's just a short while longer for The dance of tigers... But that won't make it any less thrilling! The gauntlet has been thrown by Sienna and Willow's not going to let it lie.**


	33. Écarté

**Chapter 33: Écarté**

 **Aww yeah… People liked to see the war of Khan. For people who were like 'Why didn't he tell Ozpin?'… Well, he had the memories of the maidens dumped in his mind and a flash of what made up the Ozma versus Salem match… that, coupled with Willow's paranoid streak has made it more likely that he'd like to keep his cards close to the chest. Amber got hurt for a reason…**

* * *

Jaune adjusted his aim a little to get a better bead to the target's centre, pulling the trigger, feeling the kick of the rifle as the bullets shot out. Regular ammunition was being used, just to get used to the weight and feel of the rifle, as he hadn't really mastered it yet, the feeling of the weight still being a little off.

' _I think I need to get some more training in…'_

He had made sure that he had the practice range to himself, getting up early enough to not bother the other students, the feeling of those urges inside him slowly fading as he remembered that he was _not_ a maiden, nor that he had been blessed with the powers of a near-divine wizard.

' _Sienna would call it 'investing in the future', but I think she'd had a different thought in mind.'_

"Busy with your marksmanship, Mister Arc?"

The voice of the woman whose face had come up in his dreams before appeared from his side, his last shots being off by a few centimetres, the scope slowly clicking back as he flipped the safety on.

"Can't help but improve a little, right? Does Haven also have a good firing range?"

The woman leaned against the divider between the spaces, her wraps covering her chest, giving a good image of what a woman looked like when she tried to dress to somewhat impress.

"Not as great as Beacon… It is rather limited, as far as horizontal space goes. We tend to build up. Great clay dove shooting, though." It was regular talk, as if she really was a student, rather than some twenty-something year old woman who had tried to kill the Fall Maiden. How easily she lied to hide the truth, how casually she appeared to be talking about just the ammunition.

"How was dancing with Sienna Khan last night? Due to a prior engagement, it took a short while longer for me to gather myself… Not entirely without merit, though." The casual smile, the little dip of her upper body to offer some cleavage, enough to wrap the horny mind of a teenager up in a cloud of lustful thoughts.

"Tough. She is after all, a Faunus." There was a hint of hesitation in his voice, as if he felt uncomfortable with her having danced with him. _'You're prying where you should not, Cinder Fall…'_

He kept a look on his face, even as his gaze went to the woman's breasts, like any teenage young man would. A woman who offered would hardly have their choice of attire inspected once she flashed a hint of flesh. "She kept on talking about how grateful I should be… Death threats all around…"

That was just so Sienna that it hardly even mattered, the woman giving a little confirming nod, as if she knew what was happening. "She even dragged me into the sparring ring and made me fight her… As if I wasn't tired enough already." He knew well the look on the woman's face, having seen it within Willow's own mind. Bored and disaffection, with that faint hint of appearing to be a teenager. _'A mask that is as fake as your age of nineteen, Cinder…'_

"A tough task. The general lockdown after the dance was quite a bummer…" She was prying, even as he grinned at her.

"How about you and I go on a date, huh? The delightful Cinder Fall… Might want to get some time with the Hero of Vale? Perhaps a nice restaurant?" It was standard teenager talk, Cinder's eyebrow minimally raised, with her eyes going towards the ceiling, even as she seemed to weigh the options.

"I'm afraid I'm not much for going out to restaurants, Mister Arc." He knew well why she wouldn't. He would attract camera's. He would attract attention. Ever since his stint at the docks, he knew well that there were people following his moves… All because of the fame.

"A pity. Perhaps a walk around the academy? I've got to say… I've always liked the thought of an older woman." The look of disgust on her face was enough for him, the little facial twitch that only an expert negotiator could pick up on that told him of the grand story of Cinder Fall, her distaste for such antics…

It would never be about him… it would all be about her. She would decide with who and when she would date. A selfish desire, something that had spurred her on to assault Amber. "I'm afraid we're busy preparing for the Vytal festival, Mister Arc." He smiled, nodding in understanding as she gave the lame excuse.

' _No matter what…_ '

"Does the rifle shift into anything, by the way? I notice that you've been holding it a little awkwardly…" The advice seemed to be trying to help him, even as he gave a soft apologetic smile.

"It's a new thing… Got it from a sponsor who'd wanted to see whether they could enhance my options a bit. I'm used to a sword and shield, old-school style… Heh." The look on her face did not shift in the slightest as she looked at him with that gaze of importance-holding eyes, her gaze never quite switching towards that understanding look herself. It was like a mire being dredged with her own stink making it reek to high heaven.

"Interesting. You seem to be in high spirits, Mister Arc." He grinned, winking at her. She hid the frown.

' _Come on… Time to act like you're a douche… get rid of her.'_

"Heh, they've offered me a sponsorship, even if we don't win the Vytal Festival." The woman clearly had enough, as she made a small excuse, his eyes catching sight of the fine ass that she had as she strutted away like a proud peacock.

' _Yeah… Run away, you sleazy little tart.'_

He loaded another magazine cartridge, closing his eyes and listening for the surrounding sounds. He heard nothing, yet he closed his eyes nonetheless. "Did you want something?" He asked to thin air, hearing a gasp from his side.

"Ah, yes… Have you seen Cinder? I've been looking for her all morning." Emerald Sustrai, another member of her team, had come close enough for him to hear her breathing.

' _It was a good idea to keep the sniper form of the rifle a secret…'_

He could obviously not practice now, with such scrutiny on him. "I'm about done, so how about we go for something to eat, huh?" The girl looked embarrassed, an act that he saw through immediately, as she turned away.

"I've got to get some notes to Cinder, I hope you'll-" The girl's voice trailed off, even as a loud – "FOUND YA!" came from the side, Ruby standing there like a happy little squirrel who'd just caught her biggest nut yet.

"Jaune, ohmigosh, it was so amazing last night, you should have seen-" Ruby started to rant immediately, his eyes catching Yang, whose gaze seemed to be everywhere but on him. She had a little blush on her cheeks, even as he looked at her. Emerald started to slink away, clearly going to find her mistress.

' _Yeah… You probably can't affect more than one people with your whole crying kid illusion…_ '

The knowledge that Amber had about the fighting styles of the people who had assaulted her was invaluable. Only through her kindness, had she been caught off her guard.

"Sooo… I heard you danced with Sienna Khan."

"You could put it like that." He had danced with her, and then some. Losing his virginity to her had been amazing. She'd been able to move her hips like a professional dancer, her body twisting and twitching to the beat of the motions, her hissed insults and creative expressions of her desire to feel him having roused him into activity.

"So… How was your pull out game, Jaune?" The look that he gave Yang was unamused.

"Better than your dad's." The soft 'Woahhhh' that Ruby gave and the snicker that Yang did were enough to defuse the mood.

"Yeah, and you've got seven sisters… Your dad can't even get out of the driveway with the whole fleet of cars." The stab of pain hurt a little, even as he turned his gaze away from her. She noticed, being perceptive as she was. "Jaune…"

"My father never returned from a mission. It's… It's not something that we like to talk about much." She made a sound in the back of her throat as if she wanted to leap onto him and offer him the comfort that he needed, a hug suddenly wrapping around him.

"We won't abandon you! You're practically family to me!" Ruby's happy voice was what he needed, even as he felt Yang wrap her arms around her sister and him.

"Yep! Prime husband material! Weiss isn't going to get her hands on you!" He supposed that her mother would beat her to that punch. Willow had a certain possessiveness, even though he was unable to really put a finger on it.

"Can I practice some sniping with my rifle with you helping me out?" He asked, the bright smile on his first friend's face definitely an improvement to his mood. "I mean… I've got to start using it soon, or it'll just be wasted ammunition." The look on Ruby's face was as if he'd told her that she'd be getting an extra cookie for her strawberry shortcake dessert…

"Now there, lady-killer… What's the next thing you're going to offer us, huh? A ride on something long and hard, hmmm?" Flirty Yang's voice came out, her tone a little different now… there was a need in that voice, a desire. A craving.

' _Well… I can't say that it's wrong.'_

"For you, Yang?" He wormed himself past Ruby, wrapping them around her and then lifting her up. Her breasts smothered his face, even as he looked up at her. "Are you sure that you're willing to ride this big bad Arc?" A smirk, as her legs wrapped around him.

"The big bad Arc, huh… Perhaps…" Her body sank a little, thanks to gravity. He felt confidence fill him, and the teasing thoughts invade him. She sank a little lower, and her arms, which'd held on tight, were around his neck.

"Perhaps you're not ready to ride the big bad Arc." He gave a little bump, with his hips. A bulge met a protrusion. Her face changed colours to from a regular colour to red. "Maybe… you'd like to have a beginner ride, Yang…" His teeth snagged her earlobe, even as she pulled herself up, to slide slowly against him.

"A little bit of a ride…" Her back was against the dividing wall, and his teeth nipped her earlobe. "Because the big thrilling rollercoaster's had Khan riding it… Would you like that, Yang?"

"Y-yesh…. Want that…" The breathy, sensual moan that she made was like a charm, even as he could smell the fragrance of her shampoo, his teeth tugging on her earlobe. "Ah… Jaune…"

"And that's why you're only getting that ride, Yang." Her lower lip quivered, her eyes meeting with his. She inhaled sharply and then exhaled, her gaze at him, watering slightly.

"But… Th… That's not f-fair… Jaune, please…" The desperation in her voice was growing there, as her eyes glinted with the need. He had seen it in Willow's eyes, and now saw it in Yang's.

"Yang…" Ruby's voice drew him out of his fascination with her, and Yang turned a deeper red colour. Her body slid down like a monkey who'd lost its grip, her eyes looking right up at him from his groin, her mouth half-way open.

"Fuck me… Fucking fuck meee…" Yang's language filter seemed to be broken, as she got up. "Jaune, please… That was _mean._ " He grinned, tapping against her nose.

"You're a tease too, Yang… Look at how you like it." She gave a dark look at him, looking quite like her mother when she did that, pouting lightly.

"Still doesn't make it right to do that to me." She said, her voice more ill-pleased than before.

"Now… I think I need to get some practice in… Ruby? Think you can get the range set up for sniping?"

Yang's pout was lost in the excitement that Ruby felt, her squeal loud in the air, with her fingers tapping against the keys of the range. "Alright! Three hundred meters… Try it, Jaune!"

The mechanism shifted and the barrel lengthened. The display lit up and he could see the adjustment that he had to make, the light cranking of the wheel to the side aligning the expected trajectory with the targeting reticule.

 _'_ _That should do it…_ '

A Huntsman always trained… No matter what.

The target exploded, a three inch hole ripped into its chest.

* * *

Sienna was in a great mood. Her body felt light and airy and the feeling of being fucked like a bitch in heat had just been the little touch that she'd needed. As she got out of the covers, feeling the touch of the morning sun to her skin, she let her pleasant little sigh escape, a little testament to the good feelings that she'd felt.

' _Yeah… That's just what I needed.'_

She wasn't going to call Willow to be smug about it… Nope.

"Soooo… What do you have for me today, schedule…" She mumbled, checking the plate on the schedule and then letting herself be immersed within the amount of meetings that'd been put in the time slots for today.

' _Yeah… that's more work than I anticipated… Fuck Sundays.'_

Ironwood had been more than a hassle. The questions that'd varied from 'Where were you at this point in time' and 'why did you go to the CCT' had been easily answered with a 'On the dance floor' and a 'I didn't go anywhere near it'. It had been nearly ten minutes of questioning before the man had come to the conclusion that she, Sienna Khan, as an innocent spectator in the whole thing… And she'd also had a good bit of entertainment with a few subtle digs about perhaps needing to find a hobby that was a bit more friendly than witch hunts on the Faunus.

' _You couldn't harm me even if you tried, James Ironwood…'_

The diplomatic immunity that she was granted was something that allowed her access all across the Kingdoms, allowing her to act as a head of state, somewhat.

' **Sienna, you are one lucky cat.'**

The message arrived, attached with a picture of a grinning Kali holding up a small home-baked cake with 'Kitty got laid' scrawled on it in orange icing. A snort came from her mouth at the sight, knowing that the woman must've gone the extra mile to get that made so quickly, the picture that she'd sent to Willow undoubtedly having ended up with Kali in the end of the chain. She mused briefly whether she had to send something back, or whether there would be something that would be easily made up.

"Miss Khan, we have thirty minutes left before we need to leave." One of her bodyguards said, and she pulled herself out of her bed, sliding the Scroll to the locked position, even as she darted into the shower. She could feel herself still tingle a little from the sensation of having been with Jaune, that tender feeling of being there with him when he needed her, that sense of belonging when she had been in his arms and he had given her the fuck that she'd needed.

' _I wonder whether he would be up for a double Faunus experience…'_

Men liked more than one woman in the bedroom. If she was tamed by this man… well, he definitely had but to point and then there'd be sex. That was a man's lead in the bedroom. A woman could have multiple men, or a man could have multiple women… It was all flexible. Mutable. Accepted.

' _Humans are weird. They don't know how good it feels to have a little bit of… care. Though I don't think I will accept someone who is ugly.'_

She was picky about who she fucked with. Uglies were kicked to the side, yep. Only hot blonde studs who just pounded you into the mattress.

' _I still smell like him.'_

The smell of Jaune would stick for a bit. Most Faunus would be able to smell it, since he had ejaculated inside her. The morning pill that'd make sure that she'd not get with child was already laid out next to her breakfast, the faint grimace on her face as she wondered how long she'd be able to stay at the point where she'd not want to have kids yet…

' _Blondes do seem to have more fun…'_

The big-titted blonde girl who'd nearly intruded on her fun seemed to be a sort who would undoubtedly be subjugated by her man. Sienna would like to see that… A little bit of foreplay and the human would be gasping like she was some sort of wanton woman in penis heaven… Yes…

She dipped out of the shower nearly twenty minutes later, her body clad in a fluffy bathrobe that served as a towel as well, if the need grew heavier. The business suit and jacket combination had been laid out already, even with her eyes going to the skies, looking at them.

' _Yeah… the Huntsmen are out on their missions today… Who'd have thought that I was getting fucked last night, eh?'_

Life was great when your name was Sienna Khan…

* * *

Willow watched the landing Dust-plane with cool eyes, the engines slowly cooling down from the stress of the intercontinental flight, her body standing tall. The makeup had been applied and her eyes had that wonderful quality in them that only those who'd learned how to deal with a husband who was a jackass could have… Defiance.

"Willow, what a surprise… You look good." The slimy oily feeling that slid down her spine was enough of a charm as the man let his gaze slide over her, his gaze judging, cautioning. "Did you get breast surgery? I will have to commend the person who did it, you look just as fit as you did when we married."

"Hello, Jacques." The smile was on her face, to give that picture-perfect idea of marriage for the man… the image that the camera's loved, the way that her husband moved, even as she internally found the thought to be disgraceful. "How about we convene at the company, get ourselves settled in with the financial reports? A nice little flight over Vale for after-dinner, just to show you what the sights are."

Her husband was nothing if not predictable in his temperament. The thought of food and work combined was enough to get a minimalistic nod from the man, even as he continued with his miniature critique on her appearance. _'Sometimes…'_

As she sat across the table from the man, the financial reports scrolling side-by-side on display on the holographic screen, she noticed the message from Sienna, with a cryptic comment. Her husband noticed it as well, the man's dismissive sound enough. "What does that overgrown furball want?"

"A threesome with me and a young man, _obviously._ We are _such_ great friends that she just can't keep her hands _off_ me." The sarcasm in her voice was enough to immediately deny that thought an avenue of entry in her husband's mind, even as her gaze looked at the image of three cups, one filled with some sort of brandy, the other filled with something that was listed as 'Advokaat', but whatever that was… Must be some weird Valean drink. The last glass was empty, and she'd stamped a 'Want to join us?' with a question mark in pink letters.

"Tell her that you'll sell yourself by the hour. Make her pay for it." The man's dismissal and lack of caring for her hurt, yet she soldiered on.

"I'll tell her to buy the condoms, rent the room and pay me dividends if the adult movie gets shot." The snark in her tone was obvious, yet her husband just did not care. He was alright with the thought of her doing such a thing, seeing as the company could not be better off right now.

Her own life was personally entangled with the company, so an overt sex tape would hardly reach the daylight. Jacques would have cracked down on it so hard that the producers of it would be left impotent.

 _´Pretending to be a dutiful husband whilst putting your wife down isn't winning you any favours with me, Jacques.'_

"As long as it doesn't harm the bottom line." She remained silent, her eyes looking to the bodyguard, giving him a sign.

' _Some laxatives would make that bottom line sink in the mud… But sadly, I've got to eat the same food. I can't be seen being unable to maintain my composure…'_

"You have done well to tame the Khan." Praise, from her husband. That was new. "These concessions on Faunus labour are a step in the proper direction. With how the Valean situation is with the young man who has managed to somehow cow the woman into giving him some sort of dance at the Beacon dance, there are proceeds that can be gained from this. The positive PR alone of engaging with this… Jaune Arc, would be intriguing. Paying for his hospital costs was a minor dip in the budget, but the goodwill that it gained us…" A mild praise, whilst the man's eyes looked at the statistics.

"Approach the young man with an offer as to whether he is willing to lend his appearance to the SDC brand. If we can get a young hotshot like that on board, we can win the PR race against the White Fang."

' _You only think about the short-term benefits, Jacques…'_

"What do you suppose I do? Hire a hooker to blow his mind, Jacques? Make him get a harem?" The comeback was enough, the look that he sent back at her being passionate with his anger.

"Whatever you can. Tell Weiss to approach him with an offer. Use our other daughter if she is willing… Hell, if you need to share yourself with him, not that I'd imagine he'd enjoy that, by all means." The man cared for little more than his gains, even with his eyes already scanning the next paragraph of the quarterly report.

' _And this, my 'dear' Jacques, is why I hate you.'_

It was raw and unrefined hatred of the man who had just told her to 'spread her legs' for a young man who could dredge their workers into the company with his good PR. If it had been any other young man, her answer would still be a 'Hell to the fucking, No!' in the end, but now…

"I will see what I can do… I'll place a call to Weiss." The Scroll was easily in her reach, even as she pressed the button to dial Weiss' number, her eyes looking at her husband. She did not even feel angry anymore, as the dial tone connected and the number was picked up.

"Yes, mother? I am due to leave on a mission... So make it quick." The voice of her daughter was weary and snappy, with her voice having that characteristic of exasperation, her deep exhale enough.

"Your father has arrived in Vale and he wishes to… well, he can explain it himself." She turned the Scroll to the man, turning her head away, making a motion for her bodyguard to offer her the bottle filled with imitation vodka, the clear liquid smelling like vodka, yet not having the kick of it. It was a good brew with the same taste, yet none of the alcohol content.

"Weiss, good. You are familiar with a mister Jaune Arc, yes? He should be a student in your year at Beacon." The man didn't even stop to greet his daughter, or to offer a quick 'hello'. Another mark on his list of crimes. That he called her by name was a rarity as it was.

' _I will do better, Weiss…'_

She smiled to herself, a private little smile as she gulped the alcoholic imitation down, the soft 'ahh' voice that she made enough. It was all to give the image of the drunken lush to the eyes of the husband.

' _Such paranoia…'_

"Yes, but… Father, I…" The man clicked his tongue, his eyes disapproving, the image of Weiss appearing on the Scroll after an instant.

"You will offer him a sponsorship, Weiss. It is imperative that the young man has at the very least a seat in the discussion table for when we finally bring the White Fang to heel." The look on Weiss' face was clearly not happy with the news that she was basically told to be a messenger.

"With what, father? Would you suggest that I just drape myself over him like some society woman and inquire whether he is willing to endorse our Dust?" The sarcastic tone that Weiss took definitely had the hallmarks of that juvenile resistance to it, Jacques' face changing to the 'economist' face.

"If you must. If you feel that you do not have the stomach, your mother undoubtedly will be able to ply the young man. She has had surgery done on herself, so undoubtedly the little rascal will find some appeal… Winter cannot be trusted with such important affairs, after all." The look on her daughter's face was half-shocked and half-insulted, her mouth opening up.

' _You really are a son of a bitch, husband…'_

She was no longer going to put up with this thing.

 _"Mother?_ Seduce _him?_ " She might feel a sting of pique at her daughter's dismissal of her womanly talents. She could be sexy if she wanted to! She still had a nice set of breasts!

"Well, I would imagine that she would be able to at least ensure that he'd sign something." The way that her husband spoke about her was yet another thing that she did not enjoy. There was no love lost between her and her husband, the war that was ongoing between the two of them still lasting to this moment… It was all practised to the letter.

"Gee, thanks… I'm just a walking set of spread legs and a nice pair of breasts…" The deadpan tone in which she spoke made her husband give her a look and not respond. "At the very least you could've said something to the effect of 'No, you aren't, Willow.', _husband._ "

"Why should I waste words on someone who barely brings in products? Atlas still holds the headquarters. We can tax the Faunus there heavier due to our dominance of the market." It was that the man had a call going on her Scroll, but she would've shut the call down and given the man a firm piece of her mind. She was not some toy to be wheeled out and have some snotty teenager hump!

That was for after the moment she'd gotten divorced from him. There'd be all the humping in the world, but not whilst she still wore her wedding ring in holy matrimony. She was a traditional woman, in that manner. Ever since... things had happened, she'd wanted to be legit. Honest.

"Father, I… I will see what I can do. He is not unkind towards those who manage to engage him and my team leader is his friend." The man nodded, returning to his numbers and figures. Willow picked the Scroll up, gazing at the face of her daughter.

"It seems I have been sold to a young teenager by my husband." Her voice lacked inflexion, as she looked straight at her daughter's face, seeing the wince. "Joy… I guess I get to know what it's like to be you, Weiss. Isn't that a wonderful thing?"

She cut the connection, even as her husband hummed softly. "Anything to add, Jacques? Perhaps a free fellatio for the guy after I've made him sign the contract? A life-long supply of Schnee brand condoms?" The wit was not enjoyed by her husband, as he looked at her.

"You've grown bolder, Willow. I think I liked you better when you were a drunk socialite with no job or ability to interfere with the real men doing business." She closed her eyes after those words, trying to smother the anger within her. There was only the dark deep depths that burned like a flaming mountain, the anger and rage and pure wrath inside it.

"Oh… By all means, I will excuse myself. I must make myself presentable for the young man whose brains I am going to fuck out… Dearest husband, your wife goes to be your whore…" The venom dripped from her voice, even as her husband just… dismissed her with a wave. As if she did not matter.

' _We can arrange for an accident… or something.'_ There was the hope inside of her that something like that might happen.

She glanced at the bottle of fine liquor that had been set there for Jacques, the urge to drink coming once more... But it was resisted.

* * *

Sienna Khan looked at the meeting scheduled for her afternoon, pulled up on her Scroll, checking to make sure that it would be all arranged, her eyes going over the details of the meeting whilst she still had the wits about her. The meeting with the Schnee Dust Company was not going to be great, if she had to say something about it…

' _I bet that Willow will be in a mood…'_

The subject of the husband had come up a few times and it was decided that the man was an ass. Sienna, already prejudiced, had her prejudices confirmed. There was Lien on the man's mind, rather than love.

' _I want to go to bed… ech…'_

"High Leader Khan, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Thirty minutes later, she was staring down the man himself, his veneer as casual as it could be, the pressed suit and tie looking perfectly on him, as if he were some legitimate businessman.

"Mister Schnee, it is so good to make your acquaintance." The political game was enough, as she wore the official outfit of the White Fang's High Leader, the clothing a muted red and black, exposing her arms and letting the gold-and-silver amulet in the shape of the White Fang's original symbol sit between her breasts.

She was not the macho man known as Ghira, who could wear it proudly with his half-open jacket, nor was she someone like Adam who would be able to wear whatever he could and still look like a stud. "My wife has informed that you enjoy a fine glass of Mistralian red… Of course we've prepared the best year for your perusal."

One of the little 'hints' that she'd confided in with Willow for when official stuff was to be discussed. Willow herself had gone clean, had become a member of the exclusive club of people who did not drink. A shame, but given what'd happened… Sienna supposed that it'd never come that far. Mistralian red though was a nice touch. Breezy. Good with some meat.

"Thank you, Mister Schnee." The tension between their two organizations did not enter her voice, even though she was accurately aware of the man's ideas about labour and cost, the man leading the way to the table. "When your wife approached me, I was surprised to find that there may be some ways to improve the Faunus' lot under the management of the Schnee Dust Company."

It was political talk for one, something that the man picked up on. He held out her seat, as was the polite thing to do, leaving his wife to do so for herself, as if she hardly mattered.

' _Yeah, you've got a skewed view of how to be hospitable, Jacques...'_

"We have many different views on things, my wife and I."The smile was just enough to look warm, even as Willow's face was the picture-perfect smile, the eyes speaking volumes. She wondered briefly if she should do something to help her out, but with how things were at this moment of negotiations, it'd be wasted efforts.

"I would imagine it to be the case."

The man motioned for one of the servers to serve the first dish, as the meeting seemed to also involve dinner... Though that'd be a little early. "We're not some organisation that would hold similar views. The previous High Leader was more of a pacifist, unwilling to fight for the rights of the Faunus. My views are different."

She could see the man tense up, her eyes glancing at Willow, who allowed her a blink, one of those little signals that they'd chatted about, her tongue sliding over her lips. "But that is what one needs. A changing leadership, a new strength for the company."

"One can hardly maintain one's health. My father in law sadly had to step out of the company seven years after our marriage." The look on Willow's face was thunderous, a tightening of her facial muscles, as she looked at her with eyes that held nothing but the desire to rant, yet restraining herself in order to appear proper.

"A sad day, when he did." She said, in a slight dig at the man, who noticed it, his eyes narrowing at her. She enjoyed the position that she had right now, knowing that the man had to act nice in order to get what he wanted.

"Ah, let us raise a glass to good cooperation." Willow poured herself a glass from a bottle that had been marked with the logo of one of the better vineyards from Vale, deciding to drink some of it. The smell of the wine definitely was not something that had alcohol in it, the grape juice smelling delightful, yet missing the scent of alcohol.

"High Leader Khan..." the man immediately segued into a business proposition, the way of speaking allowing little for the way that could be called a concession.

' _We'd tossed around the idea of a wage for the mining crews that work more than thirteen hours per day, didn't we?'_

The man spoke about costs, increments and business-side investments. Things that she really had discussed with Willow over a bottle of wine, the woman much more knowledgeable in that respect than her, though the gist of things was always the same.

"We can discuss that later. I believe that there was food promised?" To appear like a connoisseur of good food was a deliberate move, in order to give an impression of lacking culture. It was a difference in Faunus culture and human culture, about how food was appreciated. Humans could guess, yet they would hardly know the intricacies of eating meat in a different manner, though the tools for humans were used as a similar way. Food was like an art form, for some, eaten in a manner that was comprehensive of the social order.

The leader got first dibs on the food. The largest section to the one who held the most merit or who was the strongest. During the dinner with Kali's little intrigue, she had paid careful attention to the way that they had all eaten their food. Kali did not matter at that time, as she was sat opposite of her husband's previous seat, Jaune having sat down there, blind to the social order of things. It was one thing to indulge humans... Yet another to have them engage in the Faunus customs.

It might have been the issue with her own interpretation of the young man as an equal. It was... tough.

As the evening stretched out, she allowed herself a moment to head to the toilet, Willow taking a moment to go there as well. She had a feeling, as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, Willow going to the restroom and shutting the door, doing her business. _'She's been drinking that stuff by the gallon... It'd be logical that her bladder would be full.'_

The weight of the chain around her neck was there, the hallmark of the Leader of the White Fang, the spokesperson for the Faunus. Ghira had one, though it had been left in Menagerie as his badge of office. There were different gradations... But they would matter little.

She didn't know whether it was impulse or not, but the chain was lifted from her neck, the weight of the gold and silver leaving her neck bare. As Willow emerged and washed her hands, she held out the chain. "Take it." She said, her voice soft, tongue licking over her lips.

It was not supposed to be handed to someone else whilst the bearer was alive, yet the feeling of something being about to happen emerged within her. Right now, she was just Sienna Khan, rather than High Leader Khan. "Wear it below your shirt. If something happens and you run into any members of the White Fang... They'll... they'll treat you right."

It was the hierarchy that would protect her. The badge of office that was worn by those who had proven themselves, who had been the guardians of the Faunus as a people, it would guard her. The silver copy of it that she had tucked away within her pocket was a lesser version of it, yet still could work in a pinch... But the golden one reeked of her. It gave those around the woman who wore it the sign 'this is Sienna Khan, or someone approved by her.'

"Do you expect trouble?" She asked, even as the golden chain was snapped around her neck. A silver version clicked into place, even as she looked at herself in the mirror. It was a minute detail, yet it would seem as if she'd merely changed one piece of jewellery for another. Humans did not understand the intricacies.

"Just... Some worries. No Faunus will lay a hand on you whilst you wear it... and only you. It is coded to females. Chieftain Belladonna has the male version, as per the definition of the pact." The words were tough to speak aloud, as they concerned secrets, yet the nagging feeling that she had in her heart was something that she'd felt before, when she'd been shot at. If Jaune hadn't called her at that time, she would've been dead...

"This is some sort of Faunus thing, isn't it?" Willow asked, Sienna nodding only once. It would be enough for the woman to wear it to automatically guarantee that any Faunus below the upper brass would need to heed her words. A power that was now given to the wife of one of the biggest Faunus exploiters on Remnant.

"Just stay safe." It was a worry that she felt, yet she was sure of it.

As dinner progressed and words were shared, she was aware that the man barely deigned to glance at her, whilst his wife merely remained silent. The deals and trade agreements that had been made between Atlas and Vale were hardly of importance, even as she outlined her stance on labour laws and such, getting a minor concession from the man about the minimum wages afforded to the Faunus.

It would scarcely impact the proceedings, yet would allow the Atlesian Faunus to breathe just a little easier with a 2.4 Lien increase per hour worked. The threat of 'actions' was a good one, when used to a man such as Jacques Schnee. They had not forgotten the Faunus Rights Revolution.

As she stood in the shower at nearly one in the morning, she allowed herself a little moment of repose, only for the sound of what seemed to be explosions to startle her.

' _What in the name of...'_

She walked to the window, looking out over the city of Vale, watching faintly as things were on fire and there was gunfire.

' _Oh, for some reason I have the sneaking suspicion that the cunt did this...'_

Cinder Fall must've done her little spiel, and Sienna Khan did not play with those sorts of matches.

A familiar ringtone, as she walked to the table where she'd laid her Scroll on, picking it up and looking at it for a moment, opening the call. "Sienna? Are you okay?"

A part of her was touched that he was concerned for her, yet another part of her worried why he was calling her whilst Vale seemed to be going up in flames with the sounds of what seemed to be rifles and such. "As good as could be, yes... Vale seems to be having one hell of a party and I'm pretty sure that I don't want to be the one involved with that..."

"You've got to. There's White Fang people around and they're trying to fight against the authorities. They've been shouting about a third crusade or something, and... Can you come to this address?"

She looked at the navigation coordinates that'd been given, even as she mumbled something under her breath. "Of course. I'll just wear something easy, just for the bloody show."

' _God, I really really really wish that I'd get my hands on you, Cinder Fall... Because I am going to wring that neck of yours like the turkey that you are.'_

She hated appearing on television...

* * *

The moment that his Scroll went off was the moment that he was wide-awake. The ringtone he recognized and the gut feeling about being in trouble was accurate as well, as he let his eyes go through the darkness towards the light switch, opening the call up and hearing nothing but static.

 _'_ _That's not good...'_

"Alright guys, up and at em. Ruby's got herself in trouble... And we're probably going to be needed." He didn't know whether that was the truth, yet he'd rather rush out for nothing with his team than to be caught off guard when something really serious happened.

As they rode the bullhead down to Vale, he could already see an explosion or three, his hand going to his Scroll.

' _A long shot, but she did give me the number...'_

He dialled the number, waiting for the ringtone to pick up. "Good mo... eh, yeah, what do you want? If it's a foot long in my lunch-box, I'm not sure whether I've got the time right now..."

"Vale's currently undergoing a revolution of sorts, and I want to know if you can get yourself in front of a camera to call on people to behave?" He didn't mince his words, even as the bullhead slowly touched down. The concerned sound from the woman definitely did not mean that he had made the wrong decision, as she frowned.

"That's really serious..." The newscaster mumbled, even as she looked to the side. "Ah well, I'm allowed a gaffe once or twice... You got any sort of script for me to read, handsome, or do I just head down to the seat, claim it and put on the camera's for an emergency broadcast?"

It was probably because of his status as a 'hero' that she'd been more accommodating, even as she got up, brushing her hand through her hair and subsequently the camera dropping a little to unveil a set of purplish lingerie, a skirt laying folded half-way on a table. "Alllrighty... News feed..."

She grit her teeth, as the news feed seemed to be updating. "Yeah... That looks bad, alright. Don't you worry, I've got it... Cyril will be just beside himself with envy, but..."

He looked at the grand scheme of things, as he exited, watching Lisa pull on a shirt and buttoning it up, the Scroll set up on the table. "I'll give Sienna Khan a message if she's able to make an appearance on the camera to quieten down her people. Faunus better speak to Faunus, or something like that." He wasn't sure whether Sienna would, even with how the world seemed to be going mad.

Several people were fleeing from some masked Faunus wearing the emblems of the White Fang, Jaune groaning a little at the sight. "Alright, Pyrrha, Ren... Go and make sure that those guys are knocked out before they can hurt the civilians." He dialled the number, sure that Sienna would pick up. She didn't seem the type to sleep through a revolution.

"Sienna? Are you okay?" He inquired, hearing from her soft exhale that it probably was a good time that he'd called at.

As he sent her the coordinates to the VNN studio, he made sure to join his team once more, the rifle in his hands. _'I guess it's time to finally use this...'_ The bullets that'd been loaded had been made for riot suppression, the rubber tips enough to knock people out. A way to make sure that this would all end up with just people arrested, rather than deaths.

"Alright guys... Non-lethal takedowns. Just like we practiced..."

He spotted several of the masked loons making their way to them, weapons in hand. "Death to the human oppressors!" The war cry was not really something that he'd encourage, as he took aim. "Pyrrha, guard. Ren and Nora, flank."

With the rifle, the shots would be able to hit properly, the squeeze of the trigger sending a jolt through his body, as he realized that he'd set it to the single-shot configuration, one of the Faunus going down in a tangle of limbs.

' _What the hell is in this rifle?'_

Pyrrha raised her shield to guard him, his sights automatically adjusting to the difference, the aiming mechanisms that'd been implanted in the rifle automatically filling a spectral blue bullet trajectory in. A snap and a hiss, one of the bullet casings clinking onto the ground. Another shot, Pyrrha's hair rustling as the bullet snapped past, the crack of the bullet hitting whatever sonic barrier was in place and smashing right into the forehead of one of the charging White Fang mooks.

Nora and Ren were on them then, Ren's palm-thrust taking one of the Faunus in the chest whilst Nora swung her Magnhild in an arc upwards, lifting her target off their feet.

"Alright, we've got to get order back in-" He spotted the Grimm charging after a horde of people, his eyes going to the pouch that he carried his clips in.

"Change of plans, load for Grimm."

Pyrrha was the first to shift her weapon to rifle form, taking a few shots, as he switched magazines, a Flame Dust bullet magazine slotted into the rifle and clicked into place. The rifle shifted to the automatic rifle form, rather than the semi-automatic form. A spray of bullets impacted with the Grimm, minor explosions of Flame Dust hitting it.

' _Good thing that they provided the user manual to it...'_

He'd have to give Ruby a good showing of the rifle's capabilities, as the count for his bullets went down to zero. Ejecting the magazine and seeing that the Grimm had already started to dissipate into smoke, he pushed another magazine in, the gauge rising once more on the rifle, the number of bullets shifted right back to 30.

' _This is so kick-ass... I bet that's why Ruby has Crescent Rose...'_

Kick-ass aside, they had people to protect... and that's what Jaune Arc would do.

* * *

Sienna growled as she felt captured in the tight leather suit that she'd donned upon seeing the riots, having opted to just take the swiftest route. Sure, she wasn't _legally_ allowed to ride a motorcycle in the streets of Vale, but that wouldn't stop her. Who cared about driver's permits?

A biker helmet was just as good as a shield for her head, even as she swerved around some morons who'd gotten it in their head, her arm extending, the chain whipping out and clothes-lining one of the morons, not quite caring whether she'd killed the guy or not.

' _No fucking riots... no fucking war... fuck me... This is a PR disaster...This is going to be hell on the relations front with Ol' Ironcock up in the skies.'_

She slalomed around three parked cars, before finally reaching the broadcasting station and parking the motorcycle on one of the free parking spots. Several of the morons in masks looked at her as if they were going to start something. The helmet came off and she could feel the fear that she evoked within them, as they seemed to be intimidated.

"You morons are going to make way for me to fix this whole fucking mess, you hear?" She was beyond the level of pissed, even as that shrill harpy Lavender seemed to be speaking about the riots and a demand for things to be calm down on the news, the actual lack of makeup showing just how hurried the bitch had gotten to the studio.

' _Alright... time to be Khan.'_

"Open the fucking door! I'm expected!" The shout carried, as the security people looked nervous. Most people would look nervous if Sienna Khan appeared at one's doorstep wearing a leather skin-tight biker suit, but right now, she was in no way going to be getting her beauty sleep. "And get me to the studio before Lisa Lavender starts a talk show about how tight her pussy is!"

The shoes that she wore were usually a little bit less pedestrian and her few televised appearances usually had her dressed up traditionally in order to appeal to the masses, but right now, she was not having any of that crap.

She could've had a nice night's sleep, maybe rub a few orgasms out with the handy toys that were made for that thing, yet noooo... people had to go and decide that the stars have aligned and that it's revolution time.

"... under wraps with the aid of a Huntsman and- And we have Sienna Khan herself here to address the members of her organisation." The presenter looked worse than Sienna had guessed from the televised appearance, the hair a mess.

' _See how you like being all busy, woman...'_

She grabbed one of the seats from a scared attendant and then hefted it over, looking for all the world cared like she was going to be getting her pound of flesh and litre of blood. "Miss Khan, do you have any official words for the people rioting? Is this the cooperation that the White Fang stands for?"

She growled, audibly, looking at the camera. "No matter who got the bright idea that it's hunting season for humans, I want that guy in front of me. We are an organisation who fights for Faunus Rights, which does not have the aim of conquering humanity or some sort of tripe like that." It was the official policy, though she mangled it a little.

"You've heard Sienna Khan, ladies and gentlemen." Something just irked her, and she could see her own face darkening. "Please, stand down if you are aligned with the White Fang, and I-"

She grabbed the microphone out of the woman's hands, fed up with this type of thing. "If any of you assholes keep on hunting humans, I will personally go and visit your home and beat you the fuck up. I pay your salaries, bitches! I know where you live! I will beat the tar out of you for getting the smart idea that it was party time!"

She could see the purple harlot's mouth fall open in surprise. "And don't think that I will let it stop at just that, you masked losers! I'm Sienna Khan and I own your asses! The White Fang's High Leader is _me_ and there isn't a _fucking_ thing that you can do about it _."_ She was beyond fed up.

"And if I catch any sight of some sicko going all 'Kill the humans' after about half an hour has passed, I will do my utter best to beat you into a pulp and to drop you off at the nearest police station like a bitch who just got fucked in the backdoor by my fist coated in barbed wire." Strong language, but she'd had it with politeness.

"Now fucking listen to purple Barbie here." She handed the microphone to Lisa once more, frowning at the camera.

"Strong wording, High Leader Khan. Not all listeners would agree with your terminology, but..." The look on Sienna's face did not change.

"Sometimes, you've got to be tough on your people. I certainly did not expect to be called up at one in the morning to hear about some half-baked war breaking out, using people who don the uniform of _my_ organisation, who all seem to be interested in hurting our human companions..." The political words were definitely different from her heated words of earlier.

"If this is some sort of Atlas plot to ensure that the White Fang is diminished, there will be hell to pay. General Ironwood had me in for questioning after I had graciously allowed the young mister Arc to take me to the dance at Beacon, interrogating me about my reasons for visiting... As if a woman of my standing should have any nefarious reasons for such a thing?!" Lisa's eyebrows showed her surprise in that placid manner of most newsreaders, the inquiring look enough.

It wasn't like it was a big hush-hush secret. "Would you say that you are engaged in some sort of relationship with mister Arc, the hero of Vale, Miss Khan?" The woman's internal scandal radar must be malfunctioning or something, as the death glare that she sent at the newsreader was increasing.

"Do I look like I'm championing the guy? Do I look like I'm getting down with the humans? I'm a _Faunus_ , Miss Lavender. I didn't think that you'd be blind... Assuming that the great and wonderful Sienna Khan would lower herself to be with a _human_." The acid dripped from her tone of voice, as she conveyed the intent that she had to convey.

Jaune Arc certainly was not just a human. He was _her_ human. He was the guy who was going to make her hit that high, make her keep that high, and who was going to choke her like a bitch and make her call him daddy, if he kept the pace up. "Do I detect some anti-human sentiment there, Miss Khan?"

"No more sentiment than the 'reporter' who was in my office and eyeballing his groin like she wanted to have his sausage between her buns, Miss Lavender. I distinctly recall you giving the young man your number for a _'personal interview'._ I noticed that you seemed to have omitted _that_ part from your interview." She knew well that the woman probably wouldn't want that to be aired, and it showed. The woman's teeth bit her lower lip. "I have some decorum, Miss Lavender. I am the leader of an international organisation, and..."

She turned to the camera, as she held up the arm that had her watch on it. "if some of the people are still rioting and doing shit that I wouldn't approve of, my fist is going to make them into a eunuch." Strong language, but they would respect strength. Humans wouldn't get the subtle art of making a statement.

"Harsh words, Miss Khan." The woman said, clearly trying to change the topic.

"I am not the one advocating for some sort of hooligan riot with guns and such, Miss Lavender. I am telling them to get back in their fucking homes and be productive members of society. I'm fighting for their rights with every breath that I take. Everything that I do is for the benefit of my people." It was the truth and more than the truth. She was the High Leader, she held the chains of command.

"You may not understand Faunus like we understand each other. We are a people maligned, segregated and brought low thanks to human design. Chained and caged like animals in Menagerie. Our revolution brought home the rights that we should move between the Kingdoms without fear or molestation..." Her gaze, directed to the camera.

"My predecessor, Ghira Belladonna, is a man who can write a speech with one hand and deliver it with the other. He is a man who has a devoted wife and a single child, who stewards the island of Menagerie where our people can be free. I am not a woman who writes elegant speeches, nor am I at this very moment, dressed to impress. Do I give a damn about my people? Yes. Do I want to see us all squash the human menace that oppresses us? No. There is a time and a place for action, a time and a moment for speeches, and if it is needed, a time and place for a revolution... But now is not that time." Impromptu speech-writing was not something that she would gladly do, but the PR that was afforded by this appearance on TV was enough to probably keep the damages to a minimum. Sure, she might be coming across as a violent lunatic, but the Faunus would get their message.

"I am Sienna Khan, High Leader of the White Fang. If anyone dares to question my right to lead the White Fang, they can find me in my office. I will be waiting..." She got up, looking at the Lavender woman. "Now back to Miss Lavender, who's going to tell you that Sienna Khan is leaving the building to find a-"

Her Scroll beeped and she noticed the caller id. A sub-commander...

' _Great...'_

"Whatever, I'm out of here. Keep the seat warm for me when you want to give a vagina monologue for your lady talk show, Lavender." The newscaster was already out of her mind's vision of importance, as she answered the Scroll.

"This is Khan. What the fuck do you want?" The muted sound of someone talking, too soft to really hear for human ears, reached her ears. "Well, bring her to the main office. If you fucktards can't do that right, I ought to just give you a chainsaw enema."

"You're still being picked up on the microphone..." Lisa Lavender commented, Sienna giving a grumpy sound.

"You hear that, bitches? Chainsaw enema, right up the ass. Stop rioting and go the fuck home." She was _so_ done with this.

She had a Willow to spring free from a cadre of over-zealous Faunus assholes.

* * *

She really should've gotten to her lodgings earlier. She didn't quite like the feeling of crawling up from an overturned limousine, after someone had fired a rocket launcher at it.

' _Who the hell carries a rocket launcher into public?'_

The sight of several White Fang people crowding around the limousine just made her stomach drop a few inches down, as she brushed a hand through her hair. Willow Schnee did not bend the knee for ruffians, even if they looked at her like she was a particularly annoying bitch. "Well... I do hope that you're willing to pay reparations for shooting a rocket at my limousine."

They were looking at her with a mixture of anger and uncertainty, even as she turned to the limousine, hoping that her bodyguard was still doing alright. They hadn't attacked her yet, which was a good thing... she supposed.

"You're a Schnee, yet you smell of Khan." The question was shouted at her, even as she looked into the limousine, the smell of Dust slowly accumulating, that acrid scent curling around her nose. Just like during her youth, she could smell the hint of the catalysts to create the propellant for the engine to work.

"Yes, and? Aren't you supposed to be thirsting for my husband's blood?"

She was going to have to bin this outfit, she supposed. At least her Scroll was still intact, which was a good thing. Nobody liked to have to input one's contact information again... That was a bore.

"You smell of Khan." A hand pulled the amulet out from below her neck. "Why do you have that?"

Her face showed a glare, as she felt annoyed. Olav slowly climbed out of the wreckage, his face looking like it'd been smashed into the window, small shards of glass sticking to the forehead, as the man let his eyes go over the people who had just decided to ruin their return home. His hand was on his service weapon, his expression stoic and solid.

"Because perhaps, she saw something like this coming? Now shut up and call your boss... I swear, shooting a rocket launcher at an innocent woman's limousine... If you'd wanted my husband, he's on the other side of town."

She was definitely going to get Sienna to do something about these hooligans. She wasn't even too upset, now that they weren't lynching her by stringing her up on a pole. The Faunus, three men and one woman, the latter having a tail that seemed dexterous enough to wield a cleaver. Pretty nice craftsmanship, she thought, looked a little uncertain, one of the men with one stripe on his mask opening a Scroll up and dialling a number.

Sienna's voice was enough to bring a little smile to her lips, knowing that the woman probably was going to be spitting fire and grimmstone for the next few days.

' _See? We can get along.'_

"So... We've been ordered to get you to the White Fang office..."The man looked hesitant, as if he didn't want to do that, but had to. They all looked like they'd rather be away, even with the glinting amulet around her neck.

"Well then... I suppose this can count as a moment of Faunus-Human cooperation..."

She did hope that her husband got a rocket launcher to the face.

' _If only things were so easy...'_

Her husband had more than nine bodyguards around him whenever he went anywhere. She wasn't so lucky.

' _So... I probably can ask Sienna whether she's got something...'_

Sienna had connections that she wouldn't have... After all, the High Leader's necklace seemed to have some sort of Faunus repellent power...

' _I am going to have to meet with Jaune though... Together with Jacques.'_

She had an inkling that Jaune had been behind the newscaster calling for peace and order, given that the interview had come out a few months before.

"Do you, eh..." One of the Faunus spoke hesitantly. "Do you need medical assistance?"

A few bruises and scrapes would not keep Willow Schnee down so easily. "Hardly. I'm a miner's daughter, I can take a few scrapes and bruises."

At least they sort of were concerned for things...

That was a plus.

The robot army showing up was just a little too late.

* * *

 **Another chapter! Oh no! Cinder wants some Jaune too! The horror! What is it with that guy and all the older ladies?!**

 **At least he uses his rifle now! (And there was much cheering from the reviewers...).**

 **Yeah, next chapter's going to be the fallout of the Breach. Many fewer casualties due to Sienna's little broadcast. Maybe a new fashion style of leather/latex suits... Who knows?**

 **Sienna in her biker outfit probably would be an Alt skin if this was a video game. Just like Willow with a very loose dress and Yang's Huntress outfit.**

 **The dance of tigers isn't over yet though! I've got to adjust the number of chapters a little to accommodate for some eh... developments. Jacques Schnee is more of an asshole in the presence of his wife though. He also survived a little longer than intended. He wasn't supposed to make it past the Breach, but eh...**

 **He did. And it's not going to be a great time to be called Weiss, Willow or Winter. Daddy dearest is in town.**

 **See you in two weeks.**


	34. Penché

**Chapter 34: Penché**

 **Enjoy this chapter! Find it bemusing! Enjoy Sienna and Willow with a dash of Yang!**

* * *

Sienna Khan was currently very busy. The constant phone calls to her office had not stopped since she had gotten into the office, her couch occupied by a lone occupant, currently looking unruffled. "Yes, we do not take responsibility for the actions of a few…"

Willow Schnee's eyes blazed with an angry energy in their depths as she straightened out a little, her hand busy with tapping away on the Scroll. "I will need a few days…" The answer was not to the liking of the one on the other end, Sienna knew, the feeling of being up shit creek with a paddle made out of toilet paper just hitting her.

' _When I get my hands on that bitch…'_

Cinder Fall was going to pay for all of this extra work. She would take care of the woman quietly, no matter the issues that would present themselves. She would rip the woman's body apart for the workload that she'd gotten thanks to the woman. "I'll deliver a statement, yes." The Council was such a fussy existence, even as she gritted her teeth, pulling her phone on 'dialling' mode and looking at Willow.

"I can't say that I'm very happy right now, Sienna." Willow said, her eyes looking fierce. The chain of office of the leader of the White Fang hung around her neck, the woman's blue eyes fierce. "An open revolt…"

Sienna growled, a deep sound. The isolation of the office that kept the conversations within mostly unheard by others, was enough. "You're just lucky that you didn't die." The world was a cruel place. It was luck that made Willow Schnee survive. It was Sienna's authority that made her unharmed.

"Miss Khan?" The voice of her assistant came from the intercom, sounding a little weary from a lack of sleep.

"Mister Arc and his team are here, claiming to wish to see you in order to assure themselves of your safety." A surge of warmth welled up inside her as she smirked at Willow. "Do send him in. It was his connection that allowed me to get that little speech out on national television…"

"He fucks really good."

She said smugly, Willow's eyes turning colder, as the woman's lips pressed together thinly.

"Nice girth. Good size. He's got a grip on you when he does and it feels just so damn great."

She was allowed to be a little smug about her man, noticing that Willow's face did not change.

"I am not one who enjoys losing, Sienna."

Willow stated, remaining silent after that as the door opened and Jaune and his team entered. Sienna could see the nervous look in the redheaded girl's eyes, knowing that she'd gotten the message loud and clear.

' _You're not going to be the one who steals my man…'_

"Sienna!" The door shut itself and he was half-way there, a smile on her face that was much less forced, as she was suddenly hugged. She fought to keep the broad grin from her lips as her arms wrapped around him. A hug was good, even if decorum was blown to the window. "You're okay! That's good."

She smiled broadly. "Nobody would dare hurt me. Or you, actually. You did survive a Pogrom." That was the case. Her pussy felt that urge to just claim her mate now. He smelled good. Sweaty. Manly.

"Good, good… I was a little worried."

A clearing of the throat was audible, as Jaune turned his head to notice Willow. Sienna took that opportunity to let her hands slide onto his ass and give it a little grope. The light little jump that he did was adorable.

"Hello Willow." The Schnee woman intruded once more, as she was kneading that very fine ass.

"Hello, Jaune." The woman's eyes blazed with a challenge, as she slowly glided. "It is fortunate that you are alright. It was quite the messy evening." The tension in the woman's voice was real, as the woman fixed her with a look. Neither of them had paid any attention to the members of his team. The stare-off continued, and Willow's eyes slid to his face.

"Ah, that isn't good." He mumbled, letting go of her. Sienna made grabby hands for his hips. _'That's my dick! Stop stealing my man, Willow!'_ She wasn't going to let her friend dictate what her man did! That's what he did, to her. Dick-tate her whole schedule. Inch after inch.

She watched that damn fine ass like a hawk, as he walked over and gave Willow a hug. The smile on Willow's face brightened just a little and the urge to just leap over the desk, wrestle the two of them to the couch and have some sort of ritual fuck-off just emerged inside her, as she saw the man that she had submitted to hug another woman. The respect for Willow prevented her from just voicing it, but she felt a stab of something that probably went by the name of Envy go through her.

"Can you bring her to her hotel, Jaune?"

The rest of his team just watched, silently, as their leader hugged one of the most powerful women in the world, and the wife of one of the biggest economists of the world. Willow gave her a look, an eyebrow raised. "I'll expect you in the afternoon tomorrow."

Willow's teeth were visible, as she exhaled. "My husband has… desired to meet with you, Jaune." The usage of his personal name was allowed, Sienna admitted, given their mutual interest.

"It would be wise to accept such an offer." It was the professional tone that Willow held that made it worth it, as Jaune's face showed a moment of thought before he nodded. The confident grin on his face, as his blue eyes looked into her friend's eyes and the teeth bared themselves, ready to bite down on the bitch's neck and claim her.

' _I'm going to fuck you so hard that you'll be wondering why you're three days late for class, blondie…'_

"I'll see you in the afternoon, Sienna…" She noticed that he looked ready to fight, to meet that deadline. She grinned at him confidently.

"Good little human… I'll be sure to beat you until you know how to dodge." The feeling of desire roved through her, as she could imagine him on the mats with her, laid below her, tangled in the whip. A hand to guide down to his manly rod, to make sure that she got what she desired…

"I'll eh… look forward to it?" She smirked rather cat-like, as she sashayed up to him, grabbing a hold on him and planting a kiss fully on the lips. He stiffened a little awkwardly, Willow exhaling slowly, as her tongue found his own in his mouth, the slack-jawed sensation enough to make her invade. His hand grabbed a hold of her waist and he kissed on, his tongue invading hers.

' _Oh, you want to play it like this, hmmm?'_

Her hips bucked against his own as a savage purr ran through her throat, her fingers wriggling against him. His hand slid lower, grabbing a hold of her ass, kneading it.

 _'That's it… Claim your mate, human.'_

She was so fucking turned on right now that it was like nothing else really mattered. The embarrassed cough from someone was loud, even as her partner turned, breaking the kiss. She panted, a surprised purr coming from her lips. Her tongue slid over her lips, as her hands slid down.

' _Not going to stop now… you fucking tease…'_

"We should… eh… escort miss Schnee back to her place? Maybe?" Sienna levelled a full-force glare at the redhead with the spear and shield combination weaponry and some fame, who shrank away at the withering glare. Sienna nodded, satisfied with the response. It was what a failed woman should do when confronted with a real woman. She had her man, his cock was good, and her best friend had been beaten in this round.

"Sienna, sorry… I'd best escort Willow home." Sienna guessed that this was it. _'I think I still have some batteries…'_ A woman never went without at least one method of venting stress.

' _Ten- no.. twenty-minute break…'_

She needed to get the bloody edge off her arousal before she'd commit a crime of passion. "Give my regards to your asshole of a husband, Willow." She said, even as he smiled and kissed her nose. Her eyes looked at him, her lips pressing tightly together. "Tease. Just wait until this afternoon, I am going to beat you so hard that you'll be calling me mommy…"

Jaune's eyes looked fiercer, as his glare met hers. A feeling inside her, one of submission and perhaps that little hidden side of her that craved the lack of control, welled up. "Shut up, Sienna." The command was enough, as she shrank back a little. She bit her lower lip and hissed, coming up to him again. The gauntlet had been thrown.

"Going to fuck me again, human? You thought you were all good, but you're no-" His hand was on her neck and he pressed it tight, a claw-like grip on her neck, a shudder going through her as she felt herself slip to that little happy place.

"Hush, Sienna. Be a good girl."

Her eyes looked at him with the defiant look, even as her underwear became a lost cause. She suppressed the quiver, but she smelled her arousal. It was undoubtedly a minor blessing that there were no Faunus members on his team, because those would've seen the Khan back down.

"You've given me a lot of paperwork, Arc." She mumbled, but backed down nonetheless. He had… told her to be a good girl. Something inside her felt like obeying the order. "I better get to work."

' _I am so going to make that half an hour.'_

"My, perhaps you should consider a change of occupation, Mister Arc. I heard that tiger tamers are in short supply…" Willow's little jab at her was met with a dirty look from her.

' _See how YOU like it when he's drilling your Dust mine, Willow!'_

"Eh… Yes. We should go." He snapped back to attention, offering his arm to Willow, which she gratefully took, a smile on her lips that lasted long enough to give her a meaningful look, even as the awkwardness with her mate's teammates seemed to last.

Sienna Khan lamented briefly the fact that the teammates had been there. She'd been up to just ride him for an hour or so….

"Should I prepare something for you, Miss Khan?"

Her assistant was in her office nearly ten minutes later, as she laid down the phone.

"Please prepare a few tablets of painkillers and bring the assholes who decided it was World War Faunus time into my office." She was business again, even as she knew that there would be time for masturbation later.

She had to assert herself now. She was Khan.

* * *

Willow looked a little put out as they walked towards the car that had been prepared, Pyrrha opening the door for the woman, who got in gingerly. "Are you alright?" He asked, as he watched her.

"As well as can be, when some moron with a rocket launcher decides it was open limousine season…"The shake of the woman's head was not even the biggest fault, as she looked to contemplate something. "You and your partner in the seat with me, whilst your friends can take the second row."

Jaune was sure that there was an official protocol, even as he gave a nod to the bodyguard, who nodded back in return. Sienna had been… testy, but that was natural for her. Her touch had not done wonders, but he'd corrected her… Kali's suggestion of gagging her and silencing her to properly guide her did have some merit, though he wondered where the woman might've gotten that idea from.

As Pyrrha settled in with him, Willow waited until the engine had started. The streets were mostly abandoned, the Grimm that had attacked the city having been quelled. They had done their duty, and the remains of the debris would undoubtedly be cleared away in the next few days. "Jaune?"

The use of his first name had been only in private, Pyrrha, Nora and Ren's face having changed slightly when Sienna had went in for a bit of touching. The experiences from Amber with such a thing told him that it was easy to hug, to love, to be passionate and compassionate. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry, but…" The woman's voice stopped, as she took a deep breath, gathering herself once more to try and bring forth a satisfying answer.

"My husband has decided that we wish to link you to the Schnee Dust Company's brand."

He wasn't sure what that meant. He could guess at it from Willow's memories, yet certain he was not.

' _Promotional material, or something a little more nefarious?'_

"If needed…" She looked regretful, as she glanced at the rest of his team.

"Please don't take my actions in the wrong way." He smiled at her, knowing that things would be alright.

"I trust you." He said, the image of her pale features coming up. She was trusted because he knew what she had been through. His hand laced with hers and the bittersweet smile on his face was real, as he looked into her eyes.

"Are you going to kiss her too?" Nora's question interrupted the moment, as he looked at her, Willow's face turned to Nora as well.

"Would that be the case, I certainly would not be merely holding his hands. I am a married woman, girl…" Willow's curt voice held a tinge of amusement. "Back in my day, we had a gun, a guy and a good time."

Nora giggled, even as Willow smirked in her predatory way. "And if you want a slice of his beefcake, you're going to have to fight Sienna for it." The implied threat of Sienna was enough to cow Nora, who looked away. Sienna had made an impression.

"She likes Jaune, yes." Nora said with a light nod. Willow's lips quivered into a light smile, showing her perfect teeth. "And you look a lot like Weiss."

"Considering she came out of me nearly eighteen years ago, I would like to think that the resemblance is rather fitting, yes." The sarcastic tone of voice that Willow used was enough, as she directed her gaze to the driver. Her hand had found his once more.

"Do pull over and let the young Huntsmen and huntresses out. It would be rude to allow my husband the chance to see me with the young man whose manhood will be filling me in the future in order to secure his brand for the SDC…"

The emotion in her voice was known to him, as her hand dropped into his lap."But…" She crawled into his lap, her business garb looking as fine as always. "A kiss for a gallant prince may just be what was desired."

Her fingers grabbed a hold, as her head moved, and tender lips pressed against him, the light shock of the car stopping, leaving him to feel her lips move, her fingers squeezing and touching, the lips parting lightly and her tongue invading his mouth.

He stiffened, the kiss intensifying for a moment before she pulled back. "Thank you for saving the queen from the big bad kitty, Mister Arc." She smirked at him before she slid out of his lap, his team taking that as their cue to get out of the car. "Do expect a call in six hours, Mister Arc… It seems that your mission will have to wait a bit."

"Sooo… Miss Khan and Schnee, hmmm?" Nora asked, once he stood on the pavement. He gave a nod to the car, watching her as she would go back to her husband. He touched his lips.

"They're great women." He said, without even thinking. Pyrrha sagged a little, a look on her face that was downcast. "Sienna… Sienna is impulse and ferocity, whilst Willow is like a gentle breeze that steals your wallet."

The grin on Nora's face and the understanding look on Ren's face were like a relief to him, as Pyrrha firmed up. "We should get going."

Pyrrha smiled, a smile that didn't hold the warmth of her previous one. "You've got some lipstick on your lips… Here…" She came closer, her hand rummaging in a pocket, even as she leaned forward, the sudden feeling of her lips against his own. "There… Now it's gone." She turned red, looking away with her heated cheeks. He was a little stunned.

"Ooh, ooh! Rennie! Kiss! Kiss the glorious leader!" Ren looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"On the cheek?" He asked, Ren shrugging. A quick kiss to the cheek from his friend and a weird feeling in his stomach, even as Nora swung her arms around his neck and just latched on, pressing her lips to his mouth.

"Nora… I don't think he likes being unable to breathe." Nora's tongue was scraping at his uvula like it owed it money, her lips pressed against his own, the kiss probably one of those kisses that really looked like some sort of weird Venus flytrap.

"Aww, but I wanted to kiss him too! We won't get to do the JNPR orgy challenge now!" Ren looked at his girlfriend and Pyrrha looked at Nora, and he wondered briefly what went through the girl's mind.

"Phooey…"

"I don't think an orgy would be the right thing…" Ren said, to Pyrrha's apparent relief.

"Let's go back… Whoever did this…" He had a face and a name in mind. Silver hair. Green hair. Black hair. They would stop at nothing to hurt the people that he cared about. He wouldn't let something happen to Nora, Ren or Pyrrha.

She was aware of the irritation on her husband's face from the moment that she entered the apartment, the man's eyes looking at her with eyes that held accusation and a little bit of annoyance with the evening being a messy affair.

"Did you have to go and meet with Khan in her office, Willow?" The question came. Some small part of her might have enjoyed a question of 'Are you okay? Is everything alright?' rather than just an accusation of her whereabouts.

"Why, I did find it rather handy that she was available for me to vent my displeasure, husband."

The look on his face did not change, as he held his Scroll up. Upon it was a picture of one of their outlying brands, representing the next generation of Dust containers.

"Have you contacted Arc?" She nodded, knowing that it was business all the way now, rather than conversation.

"I have given him a polite request to join us for a moment. Have you made the arrangements?" The man nodded. She trusted that he would have. The monetary gain from a young man whose name was linked to the stopping of one of the White Fang's operation was far beyond the expense for a simple lunch.

"Have you prepared yourself? Ensure that you get him to sign, even if you have to use your body."

The look on her face told the man clearly what she thought of the plan, though she knew that she was as much the business card of the company as her husband was.

"I'll wear something nice and white… We couldn't let stains show on the wonderful fabric…"

Her tone was controlled, yet her gaze did not shift in the slightest from the man who had wed her for her father's company.

"Good. Perhaps you can use your groin for a better purpose than putting failures onto the world."

If she had a glass of something, she would have thrown it at him. The look of anger in her eyes was enough, even as she turned away, her reflection in the window staring back at her.

A regal and proud woman, looking with frozen eyes. A whore, who would spread her legs for a man who could be her son. A bitter smile on her lips, as she looked at the hand on which she wore her wedding ring.

' _Until death do us part, husband? Or was it until the stock price drops?'_

The bitterness of her mind already formed the words, as she took a deep breath. "I will do as you request, dearest husband. For the company. Should the man wish for a greener leaf…" One part of herself hoped that he would, another part of her hoped that he wouldn't. She would fuck the ever-loving life out of him.

"Weiss will be available. Winter's position due to the military affairs ensures that I cannot persuade her easily, without the trust of her superior officer… James has been distant." The image of Weiss floundering with the act of trying to get Jaune to be intimate with her brought more displeasure to her face, though her eyes only showed her quiet wrath.

The kiss had been… impulsive, she'd admit to herself. Seeing Sienna grind herself against him like some horny cat in heat had put the competitive urge inside her into overdrive, even as she groped him… She'd had a good feel of what he was packing, knowing that it was already tainted with Sienna…

' _But I never mind a second-hand bargain…'_

She idly wondered whether it would count as virginity with this newly revitalized body. "I am sure that Weiss would just _love_ to spread her legs for one of her schoolmates, husband." She imagined that her youngest daughter would flounder, wondering about why that thing was so big and how it was ever going to fit.

A cruel smile slid on her lips, as her tongue slid over her lips, the lipstick expertly reapplied. Weiss wouldn't know how to handle a real man… The girl would be gasping and on orgasm number five by the time that he was ready for his own.

' _No… I don't think that you would have much to worry about, Weiss…'_

"That's what teenagers do, I have it on decent accord. Youngsters always seem to be getting ready to sleep with one-another…" The man shook his head. "Condom sales have been going up, too."

A humourless chuckle escaped her lips at that thought. "Do I get a package, or do you need a sperm sample as well?" The snide tone that she took was full of that irritation, as she wondered briefly whether her husband would.

"Based on the background checks, I do not think it would be a bad idea… There have been fewer children born, so… I commend you on your initiative." Another frosty gaze at her reflection in the glass, as she looked out over Vale, the hassle of whatever had happened still being cleared away.

' _For that, I am going to swallow rather than spit.'_

"As you wish, husband…"

She said, her voice bitter. She turned to face him, as he sat in his chair, already perusing the documents on things. She caught sight of a flash of blonde hair, noticing that it was a business proposal.

"You've got a written proposal already?" She inquired, even with her interest wakened, her tone never slipped below the cool tones.

"A good businessman is never unprepared." She wanted to comment that his father should've used a condom with his mother, but that would be crass. Her internal insult generator seemed to become much more like Sienna's, the longer she hung around the Faunus woman.

"I will ensure that the trip will be… interesting, for the young man." The man smiled. She felt like throwing up at the sight of that smile.

"Remember, if he's aggressive, we can use that to blackmail him." Her eyes closed at that moment, as she took a deep breath, calming herself down and counting down from ten to one.

"I will ensure that I will be molested by the poor gentleman." The sarcastic tone in her voice was not even hidden anymore. "Oh, whatever shall I do… I fell over his penis… What tragedy! I must simply fix it with my tight vagina…"

"Cut that out. You're my wife, not some harridan at a stage play." Her lips pressed together petulantly. Her eyes were dark as she glanced at the man who had once spoken of love and family to her, who had betrayed her hopes every time for his money.

"I will retire to bed, husband… Much has happened." The man nodded. He turned his attention back to his data.

"Do bathe and shower. I don't want you embarrassing me." She walked out of the room and then to the apartment that had been designated as hers… the one that was located at the SDC office, the one that had undoubtedly more than six or seven microphones and cameras in it. She smiled to herself in the mirror as she strode into the bathroom, pushing the knob for the warm water of the bath and then slipping into the hot water once it was filled.

"I guess I shan't embarrass you, my husband."

She said aloud, even as her eyes closed and her mind started to work.

' _But the moment that you sold me for some publicity… No… I don't think I will ever forgive you for that… Your tally is high, husband…'_

The next morning, she woke to the feeling of comfortable sheets and only a few bruises that ached, walking over to the sink and then starting on her makeup. Her eyelashes were done with the mascara that made her eyes stand out like azure skies, a little hint of blush was applied to the cheeks, as well as the feeling of how a touch of red lipstick made her feel a little more womanly.

Looking at the result after nearly an hour of perfecting her appearance, she smiled.

' _You look ready to suck the suck the banana out of its peel, Willow…'_

The idle fancy of before came to her mind. She wondered briefly whether she would be able to snag Winter and Weiss for a little moment at the pool… such a tender pool boy, so blonde… So… _scrumptious_.

The smile on her lips was beautiful, as she could imagine it already… Her whirlpool needed a really hard scrubbing with a very hard and thick brush. She didn't mind if he got rough…

' _I should contain myself…'_

Certainly not like how he'd contain himself when he jerked it to the dirty magazines that he'd been given by his oldest sister for his thirteenth. The memory of that incident with Saphron coming in at the wrong time and seeing him with his pants down had been embarrassing… Yet it was another novelty in her mind.

' _Hmm…'_

A knocking on the door and she watched as it opened, her bodyguard entering. "We're due to leave soon, Miss Schnee."The man spoke lightly, even with her gaze directed to the image of herself in the mirror.

' _A mother should ensure that her daughters have some enjoyment… Plus I would imagine that Weiss would be quite beside herself to be on top of a three-layer Schnee cake.'_

She'd even do the honours of pinning Winter down and letting her get that stick right out of her ass. That girl needed to get laid and not hang around half-men who gave her orders. Remembering Sienna's comment about General Ironwood once upon a time, she briefly wondered whether his manhood was metal as well... and dismissed the thought, for it brought images of her daughter in a different light to her mind.

' _Alas... Until Jacques is out of the picture, she won't have a man to call daddy...'_

As she pulled the dress on, elegant and white with a generous amount of cleavage, she allowed herself a moment, donning a set of sunglasses that'd been from the best brand available.

' _Time to woo a young man...'_

She spotted her husband, already properly attired in a dark business suit, the silver pin with the Schnee family crest on it on his breast, glistening in the light of the morning. The man's eyes were calm and focused, the moustache quivering a little as he exhaled. She had once enjoyed running her fingers over it because it annoyed him, yet now... it was yet another symbol of hate.

"Are you clear on what to do, woman?" She nodded, even though he continued nevertheless. "Use your feminine traits to get him to commit. A good deal can be better for our PR, so don't hesitate to do anything that would assure us of our support. With Haven's team SSSN being one of the competitor's mainline teams, it is important to make an effort. The boy's teammate is Pyrrha Nikos, so roping him in gets us the free publicity associated with her as well. Undoubtedly there's something about the boy that just stands out... So use your skills, if you have them."

She knew that it was a lost cause, yet she nodded once more, like the obedient wife should. She was dressed to impress, the light lunch that was waiting for them at the restaurant having been vetted beforehand by the members of Jacques' security team.

Getting into the car and being driven to the airdocks, she saw the ravages of the White Fang and the Grimm on Vale's infrastructure. People were rebuilding, people were clearing away the issue. She took a deep breath, even as her hand went for the minibar in the limousine. Several of her favourite drinks, back when she still drank, sat there. She poured herself a glass of bubbly soda, foregoing the alcohol in it. It was a lure to her, a deadly seduction.

She emerged, the dress fluttering lightly in the breeze. It was a little too much for her, really, as she preferred garments that were a touch more covering, yet it was suitable for the summer weather. He stood there, waiting for them. His weapon was nowhere in sight, the combed hair looking messy and the smile on his face never quite seemed to fade. Her gaze went to his groin for an instant, knowing what laid there.

Her husband, having arrived in a separate limousine, stepped forward. "Mister Arc, a pleasure to meet with you."The man obviously knew about the connections that Jaune had with Sienna Khan and with herself, though the exact details of the interactions were still unknown. She still had the right to her privacy, and whatever was discussed within her chambers was not audible to the staff.

"Ah, hello. You're Weiss' dad, aren't you?" The man put on his kindest smile, good enough to wrap some young girl up in and carry her off into marriage.

"Indeed, indeed. I have heard from her that you are somewhat friends." The man was lying, she knew. His surveillance on Weiss had never really stopped, nor had the girl really been as free as she had been.

"And your lovely wife." The smile on his face she reciprocated, her own smile a little more forced in appearance, in order to show the proper emotion to Jacques.

"It's a pleasure to see you once more, Mister Arc... Has your time out of the hospital been decent?" The song and dance of conversation, as her husband motioned for her with a hand, the signal that she'd have to guide the young man into the limousine.

"I've learned a lot at Beacon." The smile was warm, just as warm as the feeling in her loins. She could feel her heartbeat pick up lightly, even as she turned to the limousine.

"Please, do join me. My husband will be travelling with the other limousine. After the events of last night... It isn't safe." The excuse was a reasonable one, since they were both VIP's. She saw him move with a comfortable grace to her, standing at his side as the driver opened the door for her to get in.

She felt like a whore, being put out to curry favour, as she slid into the comfortable cushions. He got in, his head pulling out. "Mister Arc.. here..." She arranged his clothing just a little, the touch meant to inspire closeness. He looked at her with a placid look, unruffled. "You looked a little dishevelled."

She arched her back lightly, showing her cleavage to him. His gaze locked on her face, her mounds of mammary perfection unseen, even as those blue eyes looked into his own. "Ah, thanks."

He was acting in accordance to the plan, without even knowing it. She had warned him, yet he had picked up on it. "Miss Schnee..." He lightly brushed a finger over her shoulder, straightening the dress out a little. Three light taps to the collarbone with the index finger, a sign that he understood.

She smiled at him. "Thank you, Mister Arc. Are your sisters well?" The audio was undoubtedly being recorded by her husband, who was no doubt already watching a video feed in the other limousine. He would be on point at all times, ready to strike when the iron was hot enough.

"As well as can be." She shifted a little, her fingers pulling the dress open a lot.

"We would be grateful if you would lend your name to our latest campaign." Her breasts felt a little exposed, as she shifted. The lack of a bra made her feel the air in the tight space of the limousine, smelling the scent of the young man.

"I don't know..." He said, as she put a hand on his thigh, stroking over it. The camera would undoubtedly support it, as she leaned forward. "You're not terribly nice to Weiss..."

"She's just the heir, Mister Arc." Her hand drifted higher, brushing little circles over him. The close proximity was enough, as she swayed her upper body a little. A breast plopped loose, the garment looser than what she usually wore.

"Oh, my apologies..."

It was not sincere, yet she felt dirty for doing it so overtly. She could smell his scent, could smell the shampoo that he'd used on his hair, the aftershave that he wore. Her hand tucked her breast back into the cloth confinement, even though at this moment, she felt like she should straddle his lap and rub her chest against his face. "We would appreciate it if you were to... engage with our brand. It isn't every day that we get such a handsome, strong man around us, you know..." Her hand trailed up, and he flushed a little. She could see that it was mostly a performance, as her fingers stroked over the upper thigh.

"I... appreciate a strong man, Mister Arc. My husband is not the most imposing specimen." Her voice trembled a little, as she knew that the script was probably not going to be as close to the whole seduction as her husband would like. Right now... the cards were still in her hand and she needed time to use them when she'd have the most benefit from it.

"Are you sure that I can't convince you?" She looked up at him from where she was nearly planted in his lap, her body angled. "We have... benefits." She licked her lips, looking at his face, which was red. Her hand rubbed over his groin, her face calm still, yet with that delicate twist to her face as her eyes never left his.

"Miss Schnee, I..." Her hand slid between his legs, seizing a firm hold. She looked at him, licking those lips of hers slowly. She could smell his scent. A manly scent, mixing with the scent of her perfume.

"I don't think I'm..."

He stiffened in more ways than one, as her fingers slowly kneaded it.

"Don't worry... We offer incentive packages..."

A palm, pushing. It was all part of her husband's plan... even though she felt dirty for going along with it. "I'm included... A strong man for the night..."

She'd almost purr if it was up to her, yet she just felt sick. This was not how she would handle things, not how she would make a move on her man. Here he was, a young man, yet her husband had his eyes and ears on her...

"Please stop, Miss Schnee."

He said, his tone more direct. Her hand stopped, even as her palm pressed down against the sensitive flesh. She gave a sound of disappointment, even as she sent him a flirtatious look. She felt disgust well up inside her.

It would work well on any other teenager. They were led around by their desires like horny slavering mutts, ready to hump a leg if need be. The experiences... the feelings...

She knew more about Jaune Arc than most. She knew his fears, the things he masturbated to, the hopes that he held... And it was a deeper connection than anything else. She could not imagine a life without him.

"Aww, are you sure?"

Her hands pulled the dress, showing her bare bosom. Her breasts were exposed, his gaze dropping for a fraction before they rose up.

"Please... Please do cover yourself up. I'm not interested in what you're offering."

His body betrayed different feelings. She had felt it, as he closed his legs, looking at her with mistrustful eyes. She knew that well enough... and her husband would be denied.

As the limousine arrived at the restaurant for their lunch, she was the first to emerge, leaving Jaune to come after her. She felt dirty and soiled for some reason, as if she'd just done something so far out of her ordinary that it was perverted and weird.

"Was the ride comfortable, Mister Arc?" Her husband asked, taking her hand. She offered him a cool look, as the unity that they had to show in public had to be maintained. Jaune's smile was light, yet there was a calmness in her eyes.

"Pretty comfortable. Your wife has some interesting propositions."

It was polite talk for 'she tried to hit on me'. She supposed that it was his kindness of not walking away. Any teenager who was objecting to it would have, yet her Jaune knew the rules of the political game well.

"I see... Well, let us be off to lunch. You Huntsman types must be hungry, so I've instructed a meal fit for a Huntsman."

She smiled at Jaune, as was proper. Her eyes promised murder to her husband in a glance, as he looked at her with a 'loving' look on his face, his eyes as cold as his heart.

They would undoubtedly have words. Jacques didn't seem happy.

During the lunch, she observed Jaune whilst her husband spoke about some of his exploits, speaking of several of the important issues of Dust transport and how Huntsmen played into the transportation of Dust. It was very interesting if you had little grounding, and she watched Jaune perform to the hilt the role of an under-educated teenager. Weiss had been forced to memorize everything, Whitley had been given the best of tutors.

"Ah, so branding is important... I've had a few chats with people wanting to sponsor me, after the whole Docks affair. Sorry about the Dust, Mister Schnee." The man waved it off. It had been part of the insurance payout, so they had not lost anything truly.

"It was well-insured, we always make sure that everything we ship is insured against such things." The man waved it off, even as Jaune's face seemed to be conflicted still. It was an act, she presumed. She would do the same, and if he had only gained a quarter of the negotiation skills that she had... she knew that he would play up the ignorant young man more to the benefit of pulling the wool over Jacques' eyes.

"Ah, I see... Well, I suppose I can always ask Miss Khan about how things went with the whole press conference last night."Her husband's eyebrows shot up in surprise at this little news.

"You're in contact with Sienna Khan?" She could detect the hint of surprise in the man's voice, the eloquence slipping as the shock had been great. Jaune shrugged.

"She's teaching me a few things... Mainly how to dodge that chain that she keeps around. She's a really harsh taskmistress." From what Willow had seen, Sienna definitely enjoyed a bit of horsing around. From what she'd heard, Sienna preferred to be tied up herself. It had been one of the odd topics that came up when they'd been drinking together.

"I see... Would you support the White Fang should they extend the offer?" The look of thoughtfulness on his face was fake, undoubtedly so, as she knew the answer to that. He might do so, but he would also consider her in the equation. Sienna and herself could both support the same man, with their respective organisation and company both supplying different parts. Sponsorships were different, though her husband didn't see the appeal in that. The racial conflict would lower the wages.

It was a difficult situation, she'd imagine, for the young man if he had been as fresh as he was when she'd first met him. "I'm not sure. They are kind of the bad guys now... and Miss Khan makes no secret about her dislike for humans." Sienna had that little thing, yes. It was a force of habit, something that occasionally slipped out at times.

"A shame... But I hope that you will consider us, for when you enter the Vytal festival." The man knew that the money was in the Vytal Festival. A good showing of support would win them much positive PR.

"I'll consider it." Jaune's final answer came, as the lunch was concluded, her husband's face looking as pleasant as it could be, yet his eyes giving her an accusatory look. She figured it would be best to let him stew a little, as she let the driver bring her back to the apartment. A good warm bath might be just what she needed to get the icky feeling off her skin. She'd meet up with her husband later... after she'd cleaned herself up a little.

* * *

Sienna's body straightened out as he watched her, once more laid out on the mats in the exercising room, her confident grin never fading. She smirked delightfully, as she stood over him. "Had enough, human?" Her voice purred the words, as she offered a hand. He pulled, rather than letting her pull him up, making her tip over onto him.

She braced herself well, as she laid atop him, his arm wrapping around her. "Had enough, Sienna?" She laughed at him, a laugh that held more amusement at the way that he'd pulled her onto him, as she got up.

"Not enough, no..." She pushed him towards the dressing room, her tongue licking over her lips. "Get yourself properly attired once more." She said, directing a look at the showers and starting to jerk his shirt off, her own clothes hung up on a peg. She'd opted for a simple loose shirt for exercise, her dark skin with her tattoos standing out.

"Sienna?" She smiled at him, rather cattily, as her fingers slid over the skin of his, the finger licked off slowly, as her fingers grabbed a hold of his shorts, jerking them, as well as the underwear, down.

"We're going to take a shower." Her voice brooked no argument, as her hand seized a hold of him, her wrist moving slightly with a light jerk. "You're going to give this kitty some cream."

 **There was lewd stuff here. Find it on Archive.**

They only separated thirty minutes later. It had taken longer than expected, and Sienna had preferred several re-do's of the session. He looked at her as she towelled off, the red marks on her rump standing out, even with the mirror's reflection showing that he had bleeding gashes on his back, slowly healing already.

"No matter what... You've got my permission, if you claim Blake." He raised an eyebrow at the comment, as Sienna smiled. "It'd really make Kali happy. But don't you dare forget about Willow."

He smiled softly at Sienna. "Thanks... I mean..." He sighed.

' _If you want to have something done right... You should do it yourself.'_

"I love you, you silly human." Sienna said, even though he felt the dark feeling inside him swell. He knew who had hurt her, he knew who was responsible... though he didn't dare tell her. She was impulsive. She was unrestrained, yet a politician to the core. Sienna Khan did not do overt patience like Willow did. She burned like a fire in the night, a wild animal caged in civility.

"Here... Let me get you one for the road."

A caged animal who enjoyed a good hard rough time in bed, or in a shower.

He walked out of the White Fang office nearly an hour later, after Sienna had given him a final lesson in poise and grace. Most of the Faunus were looking at him with some minor fear in their eyes, he found, as he could see them look at him.

They feared him, either because of his closeness to Khan, or because something else was off. He looked at his zipper, and noticed that it was still up. He filed it away under 'weird stuff', before he walked back to the airship docks.

He had a decision to make.

* * *

Her _dear_ husband sat on his leather seat, his gloomy expression telling her about the fallout of today. Clearly, he had witnessed her failed seduction. "I am pretty sure that he isn't gay, husband."

The man looked at her, his earlier comment having faded out, after she'd given it some thought. The man raised his glass and drank it in one go, looking at her with baleful eyes.

"You could've tried harder. I've already informed Weiss that she is to get his agreement by any means necessary or she'll be disinherited."

Weiss was weak to such pressures. Weiss didn't know what to do when the money was shut off. She knew her daughter well. Winter would never abide by her father's plan, whilst Weiss would be helpless. "I... see. I guess the tradition is spread from mother to daughter." The man's brow furrowed, his eyes looking at her. Another glass was poured and kicked back, the man's eyes looking at her as if she were filth.

He got up, and she looked at him approaching. "If only you had some redeeming features, Willow. You couldn't even get the breast enlargement right to get the young man roped in."

She looked at him, at his stature that was cool and without mercy for the people who worked below him, a cool expression on her face. "What would you have had me do, Jacques? Fellate him on the backseat? Give him the limousine fuck experience?"

Her words carried distaste, and suddenly, her head smacked to the side, as pain flared. "You would've at least been worth more than some drunken slag! Don't you know how much of an embarrassment you are to the company?!" Her husband's angry words hit her, as she realized that she was tasting blood, that her tongue was bleeding.

' _He hit me...'_

"You... You hit me." The man looked at her, his eyes fiery with irritation. She smelled the alcohol that he'd been imbibing. The man's stature and physical stats weren't great, yet he had caught her unaware.

"You deserved it, for not being able to work a young man. It seems I may have to hire a professional, if Weiss fails... Undoubtedly that would be a much better venture..." His dismissive words were like another blow, as the tears came. She'd break down, the dismissive words hurting her more with every utterance.

"Come on, cease your crying. You deserved it. This doesn't serve the bottom line."

A cold hate welled up inside her deepest, darkest depths. She had given her life to this man, for better or for worse, yet he treated her as if she were just some sort of sexual tool for gratification, some whore who would spread her legs. Her oldest daughter may be doing that for the general, if she had the man pegged right, but Willow Schnee did not tolerate the abuse. "I will retire to bed." She said, as she turned on her heels.

"Have another drink, Willow. Perhaps you'll find more comfort there. You can't even get a teenager interested in you." The comment that was thrown at her made the calm anger within her surface, as she walked out of the door.

It was time for her to get some rest. She signalled her bodyguard and went for that rest.

* * *

The sun was out, nearly a week after the events of the breach and Yang Xiao-Long felt the warmth of the weather hit her face. There had been little activity for the students, with most of them having returned safe and sound from their missions.

Jaune and his team had been engaging more with theirs, a fact that she was glad about. Jaune's new weapon, some kick-ass bad-ass gun that could shift into an assault rifle with a press of the button, was growing to be more popular with him, she noticed from the sessions that he spent practising at the range. Pyrrha often accompanied him, a hidden little smile on her face at times when he practised the art of switching from melee to ranged combat on the fly.

A ringtone sounded as she let her gaze slide over the people present. She opened up her Scroll, glancing at Blake for an instant, whose ears perked up slightly, the bow quivering a little as well. Ruby and Weiss were looking a little out of it. Ever since Weiss' dad had cut her off from the money, Weiss had been despondent. Whenever she had inquired with the snowy-haired girl, all she could get from her was that her father had asked her something beyond the bounds of decency.

Her comment about 'what'd he do, ask you to fuck a dude for his stocks to increase?' was met with an angry look and a slammed door. She could faintly hear sobbing behind it, and she resolved to find the guy and give him a good shot of Ember Cecilia's special reserve. She'd apologized after Weiss had come out, and the girl had nodded, giving a hug that felt tighter than before. It was sweet, if not for the fact that Ruby had given her the 'bad Yang' look.

"Hello?" She asked, as Jaune's voice came from the speaker. The sound crackled lightly.

"Hey Yang, do you think you could give me to Ruby? I need to know a few details..." The question wasn't too out of the ordinary, so she passed her Scroll to Ruby.

"What's the weather like today?" Ruby blinked, as Yang shrugged.

"Like... sunny? I mean..." A sigh came from the device's speaker, as Jaune seemed to realize that he hadn't been descriptive enough.

' _Why would he need to know about the weather?'_

"Just give me that talk about how the weather impacts a sniper rifle, Ruby. I've got to tinker with a few bits on Mechanicus Mors." The name of his rifle was similar to his weapon, even though Ruby's face showed glee. Ember Cecilia was still just a bit cooler. It was fashionable _and_ functional!

"Ooh, ooh! The weather's nice and sunny, with a breeze from the south-east going around three miles per hour. Humidity on the ground level is about seventy-three out of a hundred, and the air currents are on the increase due to the weather being warm. Aim about three millimetres higher and you've got range for up to seven hundred meters with minor drop-off on the centre of mass." Her sister could geek out about her rifles, even with a humoured sound coming from the speaker.

"Thanks Ruby. I'm sure that it'll come in handy." The click-snap of something being slotted into place, as Ruby handed her the Scroll back. She wondered whether he was at the range.

"It's got these nice and handy guidance things... Tech is really cool." Ruby smiled broadly as he said that, the sound of a magazine being slotted into the rifle was audible.

"Alright... This is the right thing to do..."

A deep breath, before a slow exhale, getting the air out of the lungs. Something that her sister often forgot, though her experience was a deciding factor into the fighting that she did with her sniper-scythe.

" _Sic semper tyrannis."_

The sound of a click, a low whistling sound that made the speaker crackle, and the sudden explosion that took place in the field, right in the space where several Haven students had gathered. Another click and another Dust round exploded, another blaze of flame.

A click and a snap, and then another Dust round being chambered. The whistling sound in the speakers continued, as another round sent a blast of Gravity Dust to create a crater.

Another round, the fifth, exploded in a burning sea of fire. Yang could see dismembered limbs, even as the unsettled feeling entered her stomach at such death. She saw a woman's body with most of her head having been eviscerated by the Dust round that'd hit it right in the base of the skull before exploding. Most of her torso had been obliterated by the follow-up round.

It was pretty clear that Cinder Fall wouldn't be breathing any more air, as well as her team members. They looked pretty damn dead. The screaming started then. Students started running.

Ruby gave her an unsettled look, as she looked with horror at the bodily remains that laid strewn there. Yang merely looked on, as the Scroll call disconnected with a soft dinging sound.

' _Fuck.'_

* * *

 **Annnnnd cut. An explosive ending to Cinder Fall. Boom, headshot. When in doubt about your sniping capacity, ask for an experienced sniper to assist in the spotting.**

* * *

Omake time!

Jaune Arc was a simple man of simple means. As he walked back to his room, he idly noticed the faint blush on Ruby's face, even as she twirled the white cloak a little. Her little hints about wanting to talk to him were adorable, even as her eyes seemed to hold a little joke in them.

' _It's almost as if she's a little taller...'_

He guessed that she might've grown a little, in the time that he'd known her. She was after all, fifteen. People grew during their teens. He'd experienced that plenty. "Sooooo, Jaune..." Her smile was bolder than he imagined it to be. It looked a little like Yang's smile, if he had to guess. "Let me see that sword of yours..." Her tongue licked over her lips, even with the door being pushed open. He spotted no-one during his cursory scan of the room, even as he bent to get Crocea Mors out of the small armour rack that he kept it on.

Hands grabbed his hips and he was dragged onto his own bed, Ruby giving him a grin. "No, no... Not _that_ sword, you silly boy..." The corset looked half-way down, the style far more risqué than he'd imagined. " _This_ sword..."

"Ruby, I-" Hands that were calloused from handling weapons for years grabbed a hold of his tackle, even as she smirked. "We really shouldn't..."

"Get those pants off, boy." Ruby's voice was lower, huskier... and the breasts were out. Did Ruby have such a chest or was there something in the water at Beacon that let women's breasts grow to that size? The lingerie was half-see-through with little roses curling around the nipples, the wiring in the shape of thorns.

Thirty minutes later, he was pinned to the bed, the bouncing form of Ruby on him, her legs keeping him there. A portal flickered into existence and a masked woman stepped out. "Hey!" Ruby said, sounding offended.

"Back off!"

The mask came off and Yang's crazy emo goth mom looked down at Ruby. Ruby, in some sort of skill, didn't seem to be too fussed by the death glare that she got from the woman. "Oh, you want to join in? Do join in! You can ride his face!"

The woman blanched, even as Ruby growled. "Get on his face! He's good! It'll just be like that one time with Taiyang!"

' _Wait, isn't that Ruby's dad's name?'_

The woman sighed, and the kimono hit the ground. "You know that I am unable to deny your commands, r-"

The woman was silenced by a kiss. Seeing Yang's mom and Ruby kiss was pretty hot.

An hour and a half later, he woke up to the sound of someone doing a minor aria of screaming. He lifted his head, sort of pinned there by two women who definitely had rocked his world (and half of the room of his team), staring at the red-cloaked, scythe-wielding Ruby who stood in the door opening, pointing a finger at him, Yang visible in the background, her mouth half-opened. He cast his gaze to the Ruby who was hugging his arm with a content little smile. His personal sword saluted, just because it'd be hard to salute the two of them.

"MOM?!"

It was both Yang and Ruby who said that, and only a weak chuckle to emerge from his throat. "I wanted to be in the story too, but the author tells me I'm dead! Take that, bitches! You snooze, you lose! Milfs rule!"

The woman, apparently Ruby's mom from the commentary, spoke, before nuzzling against her. "Since Raven had an interest, I thought I'd check out. Guess we've made you feel a Summer of heat, you cRaven man." The pun was abominable, even as Raven, identified as Yang's mom, laughed at it.

"Passable. You will do my daughter proud in the bedroom." There was some confidence in that voice that he couldn't quite detect the origin of.

"Join us! Jaune here is ready for a milf and daughter orgy!"

At this point, your noble and utterly odd author decided to back out and leave you to the brief imagination of such a thing. You may mildly shudder in mock-horror at the thought of Yang and Raven in bed together. This is **not** canon to the Dance of Tigers.

If you're reading this, friend – I said I was gonna do it, so I did!

* * *

 **And another chapter in two weeks! Let's hope you liked this explosive conclusion to this chapter! Leave a review after the beep. I really appreciate reading your thoughts on the chapters I write!**


	35. Frappé

**Chapter 35: Frappé**

 **Well, Cinder thought that might've been a bit too explosive… I guess she lost her head there for a moment.**

* * *

The Scroll pinged once, the message having been received, his attention switching from the Grimm Studies homework to it. The ping was a good call for distraction, the pattern already having been established now for the behaviour of the 'Haven Students'.

With the memories of Amber, he knew about the three who had been willing to attack an innocent woman in the daylight, using an illusion, undoubtedly to create havoc and death. The image of the riots of earlier this week had been enough to shatter the illusions of safety. Willow Schnee was right. Enough caution was never to be had.

He'd had Ren scope them out. Ren was able to be stealthier than he was, fading into the background more often than not. The young man hadn't even raised an objection when he'd asked.

"So, you want me to observe them and report where they are going?"

Ren's voice was soft-spoken as always, as he looked at his friend and teammate.

"Yes. If it isn't too much of a problem?"

He could see Ren refusing because it might be stalkerish but the young man's head merely nodded in understanding.

"Nora has been worried about them. Don't worry."

Silently, like some sort of ninja, his friend stalked away, giving a muted thumbs up. The gesture was perhaps comical under different surroundings, the look in his friend's eyes having been serious.

' _So Nora is suspicious as well…'_

Cinder Fall was a woman who enjoyed routine, he had found out. She stayed with her two 'friends' at places that were in the common area, yet out of earshot of many of the people, just affable enough to maintain the image of casual conversation without being too much of an attention-grab.

Her green-haired girlfriend seemed to be the prime attendant to the woman's whims, no doubt in some sort of relationship, his mind told him, the smouldering looks that could barely be hidden by those red eyes, whilst the silver-haired young man merely seemed content to observe and sometimes chip in with a comment here and there.

Observing them had its benefits. They had a certain pattern to their movements, as Ren told him. He focused on his training, whilst he waited for the results to bear fruit. Pyrrha was more than instrumental in those sessions, her body going through the motions for him, which he mimicked. The snap-switch of melee to ranged and then returning to melee was getting along splendidly. He knew that he'd be able to switch from ranged to melee in a fluid motion eventually.

The next morning, he noticed that Weiss looked a little out of sorts, her eyes slightly red, as if she'd been emotional the night before. The small little clues that he remembered from Willow's memories came together, as he could understand.

"Mister Arc, please assume a combat stance, before miss Xiao-Long joins you..." The Combat instructor and off-time dominatrix, as most students called it, spoke, as he made his way into the combat ring, adjusting Crocea Mors on his arms, the shield ready to take the hits.

Perspective allowed power to change. As Yang's shotgun gauntlets clicked onto her arms, he looked her over. His expression barely changed from the warmth that he showed regularly, whilst his mind continued to work. He could see Cinder Fall staring at him with interest in her golden eyes, as he watched Yang.

 _'No ranged today...'_

"Excited to be hitting me like a truck, Arc?"

Yang's tone was excited, her eyes lit up with the desire to fight, to prove herself. It was like with Sienna when she got passionate. Sienna's eyes would light up and there would be a moment where she would explode into action.

"From the front or the back, Yang? I bet that you're ready to take it all, eh?"

It was a line that Willow might've used, if she had been more martial in her leanings. Yang's eyes flickered down for a moment, her tongue sliding over her lips.

"Begin."

Professor Goodwitch's voice spoke up, Yang circling around him.

"I'm afraid that you'll be on your back and gasping, Arc..."

The words were still carrying that amusement, as he shifted his stance to continue facing her, his eyes glinting with that desire and expression, not shifting away from her.

"Oh? You and your sister, at the same time?"

He knew that it was one of her triggers, the allusion to a threesome no doubt enough to excite her into action, as Yang gave him a complicated expression.

"Y'know... I might just take you up on that offer."

The words were enough, as the gauntlet rose. A bang, his shield moving to intercept the Dust round, shielding him, the blaze of Flame Dust washing over him.

' _Three-twenty calibre load-bearing Fire Dust Round, made for Shotgun.'_

The classification came to his mind immediately. "My, that's getting me a little hot under the collar, Yang... I'm not sure if Ruby's able to take it all." The proper balance that he maintained was to be maintained at all times, as he stood tall. It was a slow progress, as Yang dashed in, her fist deflecting off his shield.

"Just get some more lubricant and she'll click-snap like it's the firing mechanism of her baby, Jaune."

He let go of his shield, grabbing her by the arm and then tugging her, flinging her past him using her forward motion, picking his shield up afterward as Yang turned.

"Fraid that I'm not going to want to have Crescent Rose in bed with me, Yang... But I heard that you'd like to have your ankles at your earlobes." The lack of understanding on Yang's face was enough to clue him in that she wasn't as flexible as Sienna was or that she didn't immediately clue in to what he intended. "Nevermind."

"Hey, can you even bend that far?" He shrugged, as she circled around him once more.

"I guess?" He ventured, as she sent another shell at him. "Now, don't let me get your explosion all over my face, Yang... We're in public..." The blonde gave an amused laugh as she followed right after the shell.

"Afraid I'm too wet and messy for you? Not going to be able to give me your big sword and shield combination?"

He dodged, Yang's Dust explosion at his side sending her into him. His stance wasn't broken, but her fist was coming around.

He did the sensible thing. He headbutted her right in the face. "I'm afraid that the combination attack might be a bit too headstrong for you, sweetheart..." The blonde smirked, her eyes fierce as she bared her teeth afterwards.

"Ain't nobody stopping me when I've finally got you pinned and smashing that tight little f-"

The clearing of a throat interrupted Yang, as Professor Goodwitch's voice cut through their banter.

"Please keep the flirting outside of the ring, Miss Xiao-Long and Mister Arc... This is not a place to practice foreplay."

The woman's strict voice was enough to silence Yang, but he saw the challenge.

"Would you rather be flirting with the both of us so that we can become the blonde trinity?"

The woman's green eyes narrowed, before a sadistic smile came to her face. It was the smile of an evil professor, who undoubtedly was going to steal the sorcerer's stone.

"Why, to add a challenge, I suppose I shall join you in the ring. You can never predict when enemies may join the fray..."

The woman's Aura meter was added to the display above the ring, the professor walking into the space, her riding crop in her hand already.

"Well, this looks like one of those movies my uncle watches... Three hot blondes in a ring..."

The look of stern disapproval on professor Goodwitch's face was enough, as Jaune looked at Yang.

"Truce?"

He asked, as he watched the professor, an official Huntress who had years of experience with being one, stand there, awaiting their combat. It would be best to team up with his fellow blonde, as Yang looked cautious.

"Truce. Let's double team professor Goodwitch."

He snorted at the double entendre and she flushed a little. The raised eyebrow on the woman's face was enough to show what she had on her mind about that suggestion, as the student body went silent.

"Yang, remember that time when we went out to exercise?"

He made a motion, trying to make her recall the way that she'd helped him get better gains from the exercises. She nodded, clearly recalling it.

"Let's do the third exercise."

There was no problem with that, he supposed, as a purplish glow wrapped around the woman. Force that he should barely be able to stand snapped against him, keeping him pinned in place, the feeling of pressure continuing, his whole body shuddering and shivering at the strain. Yang was in motion, advancing from the woman's side, the woman's pressure on him lessening, allowing him to move.

From Amber's memories, the woman was able to split her focus between two or three objects at the same time, allowing her to manipulate patches of ground in order to fix them or to destroy them. The stress on the body that was being affected could pulverize and snap with a flex of the woman's semblance, so distraction was necessary. He advanced, as professor Goodwitch stood straight, imposing and ready. Her lips were set within a dark little smile, her eyes glowing as she manipulated the Semblance, Yang lifted off her feet and coming at him, his arms wrapping around her in one go, setting her down.

' _Second of delay...'_

The switching of targets took a brief moment, with the after-effects compensating for that slackening, as he set Yang down, the smell of the shampoo in her hair there. "Let's get her."

The woman's hands continued to move as Yang moved forwards, the impeding effect of the woman's Semblance not solidly on the two of them, likely because the woman was still holding back. He had seen in Amber's memory, how the woman had crushed a Goliath with her Semblance. As Yang was sent back, he advanced, his aura chipped away at slowly by the woman's Semblance, the force slowly crushing him, yet restrained enough to merely be harmful to Aura only.

The control that the woman had about her Semblance was magnificent, as an explosion behind him told him that Yang was going to advance again. The cocky look on Yang's face made her look much like her mother, he noticed, with the shortest burst of arrogance and confidence, as she shot at the Professor. Yang slammed against the ground, wrapped in a purple glow, the teacher's body moving slowly, his eyes flicking to the gauge on the overhead display. Yang's Aura was dangerously close to being in the red, enough for her to be disqualified. He was around the sixty-percentage mark, so it would be a sacrifice that he'd have to make. Yang hit the ground again after crawling up once more, the aura meter running out at that moment.

"Xiao-Long, disqualified."

The voice of the professor rang out, as he moved. Throwing the shield wasn't the most elegant of motions, but he knew decently well how to hit the woman. Glynda Goodwitch was someone who required a solid stance to use her Semblance, or it would go haywire.

The shield stopped in front of the woman's face, blocking her line of sight, which was what he took to his advantage. His steps changed, lighter and less with weight on parts of the foot, casting the false illusion that he was advancing, as the shield came down. He threw his sword then, just as the shield was slid away. It was an unwise move, he knew, but if he had to get himself some points, sacrifices had to be made.

Green eyes widened as the blade came into view, the woman's crop moving, and he leapt. The weight of the Semblance hit him, arresting his forward movement. His outstretched arms were within reach, as he grabbed a hold of the woman's waist. Her concentration jammed then, his body continuing in the forward motion that she'd barely halted, barrelling into her with his full force.

He landed relatively softly, his head bouncing off the rather sizeable set of frontal bumpers, a low 'oof' coming from their mouths, as he pulled himself up. Ill-amused eyes looked at him, a somewhat amused smile stretching on her lips.

"You l-"

His fist was in her face before she could finish the sentence, the feeling of hitting her in the face not pleasant in the slightest, as he straddled her. The woman's fist hit his jaw, rattling his brain, as he punched right back. He glanced at their aura levels, her Aura dropping rapidly, whilst his own remained. Another hit and the buzzer was audible, as he looked down at her.

"Good. The fight isn't over until one of the combatants is victorious."

Her glasses had come off sometime, the woman motioning for him to get off her. As she got up, he felt a pinch on his bottom by some unseen hand.

"As Mister Arc demonstrated earlier, when faced with an opponent that is humanoid and able to engage at long-range with some Semblance or weapon, the best choice is to block their line of sight. If I had been otherwise engaged with a rifle of the sort, I would have been required the block or dodge the thrown shield and sword." The woman explained, brushing herself off. The motion made her bountiful chest-pillows move, and Jaune briefly wondered why the memory of the woman complaining about being a woman surrounded by men who only looked at her body came to mind.

"With two or more opponents, the tides of battle can shift rapidly. Through quantity, any defensive position can be worn down. Never be afraid to team up with an enemy if a bigger threat presents itself because in the end, it is not worth death by Grimm to keep the adversity in mind." The words were hardly something relevant, but the lesson that he learned from that was enough.

"Sooo... How'd Goodwitch's chest feel, huh? That's a suitable reward for taking her down a peg, right?"

The sly question of Yang's was definitely audible to him, as it was to the other members of the class who'd heard it in the sudden lull inbetween the professor's words and Yang speaking up as he joined them once again. There was a decided hush, as he looked at the professor, whose face looked to be carved out of ice.

"Detention, Miss Xiao-Long."

The voice of the professor was as chilly as winter, as the green eyes fixed her with a look. Jaune was glad that it wasn't directed at him, knowing that the woman would be merciless.

"Aww, shucks." Yang mumbled, shaking her head.

It was later that evening that he heard a knock on his door, watching as Pyrrha went to the door, Weiss standing there, a look on her face. "Can I... Can I talk to Jaune alone for, say... an hour?" He noticed the nervousness, the look on her face as she looked everywhere but at Pyrrha. The combat dress that she wore was white, the red accents giving her more womanly appeal, but it was still a decent attempt at dressing up for a meeting.

Nora met his eyes and Ren met his eyes, both looking at him for permission to leave. He nodded, before he met Pyrrha's eyes, mouthing an 'It's okay.'

Weiss might just want to talk a bit... She'd been through a bad ordeal at Mountain Glenn, after all...

* * *

Willow Schnee looked the picture-perfect image of a high-class woman as she stood next to her husband, the mark on her cheek covered with makeup. The Valean upper class was gathered here, as the jewels sparkled and the makeup of the rich and infamous had been painted on thickly. Compared to many of the older women her age, she looked like the perfect trophy wife, ripe for the plucking of her bush.

"It's such an honour to meet you, Jacques."

The coquettish look that the groomed woman sent at her husband was an eyesore, in Willow's mind. She was well-aware of the things that it took to guarantee a world-renowned company, the flattery of others having little impact on that.

She knew her position in the world, the space that she occupied there. She was not some girl who was left adrift, beguiled by the sweet words of a man whose moustache and dark hair had been attractive, appealing, her father having been understanding of her desire to marry the young man from the Gele family.

"An honour indeed, Miss Brun."

Her husband smiled, his pristine white suit carefully tailored to his frame. It would not do for a Schnee to show a lack of etiquette, though the man hardly had Schnee blood running through his veins.

She wanted to be anywhere but here. She knew the stresses of the day, watching carefully for an opening to segue herself out. The taste of the alcohol in her mouth was bitter, though she'd only sipped part of it, the light-headed feeling that came with it like a fog shrouding her mind. She was aware, awake and without a choice.

"I will head to the bathroom for a moment, husband."

She said, mustering the smile that was just polite enough, a dismissive wave from the man, as he started to talk about the incremental proceeds of Vacuan trade.

As she sat down on the toilet seat, she felt the stress on her body build up. Her husband had hit her again the night before, when things had gone down. It was now still the time for her to consolidate her power, rather than to do something impulsive. The man had ordered her to spread her legs for a young man, had been confident in the plan succeeding...

Jacques had his finger in too many pies of the buffet. She could see Jaune coerced with some sort of tidbit of information that her husband had managed to extract from some person, in order to work on his monetary funds.

 _'That will not happen.'_

She tapped in the code to her Scroll, having changed it three times in the past nineteen hours. She wouldn't like it if her Scroll were to be compromised. She looked at the messages, opening up the message box for Jaune, looking over the messages that he'd sent her.

 **J.A.: 'Are you okay?'**

She tapped away on her keys, the words coming easily. She'd... She'd been weak. She'd called him when she'd come back to her apartment. She hadn't been the strong woman who could face dragons and demons of the board room, but rather just a woman who'd been hurt again.

 **W.S.: 'Better now that I see your message. Boring people around, Jacques is trying to get a good deal. How's your deliberation on the offer?'**

It was a special offer that she'd tailored for him. A single session of underwear, Schnee Dust-Themed, a new venture that she'd personally taken under her wing. If she could string him for that, it might be enough for Jacques.

 **J.A.: 'I've asked Ren if he'd like to co-model. Pyrrha and Nora are in agreement, provided they can get to keep the cute ones.'**

It was girlish entertainment, Willow knew, but the thought of...

She inhaled. She could already see herself decked out in the lingerie, brushing a finger over the young man's chest, her tongue sliding over her lips as she gazed at him as a woman did to a man she fancied. Her finger trailing down, wrapping around the tight underwear, as his hand brushed over her full breasts. A perfect moment, before she would slowly slide her fingers in the underwear and...

She exhaled. Those thoughts were not wifely ones, not thoughts that a mother of three should have, but they were her thoughts. She could feel the tension in her muscles, the craving in her flesh. She had vowed that she would be a better woman after her near-death, but...

She felt alone. She wanted to be held, to hear a voice whisper in her ear that it was going to be okay again, that they could be a good family. He'd be a good stepfather for Weiss and Winter and Whitley...

 **W.S.: 'Is that a yes?'**

She tapped in the answer, even as she burned in her groin. Her eyes looked at the typing, as he typed something back, the smile coming to her lips as she read it.

 **J.A.: 'Would I ever deny a cute snowflake anything?'**

This wasn't good. The craving grew stronger, the need, the faint memories of times when she'd been bold and drunk enough to do things to him. She wanted to feel him, to have him hold her... Sienna be damned, she wanted to _fuck._ She wanted to be bent over a knee and spanked like some naughty child, given her just punishment because she deserved it for having such thoughts about a man who could be her son...

She felt young again. She wanted to feel love, not a husband whose blood could serve as ice-cubes and who thought that Lien was the only thing that mattered in the world. Sienna was a tease who didn't remember the engagements of her friend's life, but Sienna kept on rubbing it in her face that she got that Arc shaft pounding right into her hot cunt.

 **W.S.: 'You are wise to take this offer.'**

There had been an offer from the porn studio for an appearance, she supposed that it might be enough for her to take an interest, yet with Eve Taurus, one of the actresses that she knew personally, still in the hospital after some serious issue or the other, it was still not something that she'd be putting her time in.

' _Nothing wrong about getting something put in me, though...'_

The sticky sensation deep inside her continued, as she imagined for a moment, herself dolled up like one of those sensual vamps that often had featured in the movies of her youth. The smell of cigarette smoke, of a deep and dark seedy place, a spotlight on her and her touch like a flame to a young comely blonde man... Teasing, singing sensually...

Dragging her tongue over skin that'd been coated in a light dusting of sweat, smelling the manly scent in her nostrils as she kept him on edge. His gaze never fading from hers, as she strutted like a proud peacock... Not a whore, yet affecting the behaviour of one, as she was picky about her men.

She noticed that she'd taken nearly ten minutes in the toilet as she shook herself out of her dream, the feeling of her bladder straining lightly, as she did her business. Thoughts of sexy blonde men aside, she still had a job to perform.

She joined her husband, all smiles and warmth, like the play that she would have to perform time and time again. She felt better when the man wasn't here, when the man wouldn't be able to touch her with his cool hands and his distant looks.

"Miss Khan, what a surprise to see you... I would think that you'd be still swamped with appeals for your next television appearance."

Sienna Khan walked with the easy gait of a woman perfectly at ease within social situations, her eyes meeting her husband's and a hard-bitten grin settled on her face, as the man did the perfunctory put-down.

She'd heard from Sienna all about the strain of people suddenly wanting permission for things that'd been long-since reserved for people with slightly higher status than the leader of the White Fang. Talk show offers, a platform at the political channel, all because Sienna Khan got up on the news and told the Faunus to get back to their homes and quit the business of rioting.

It had showcased once more the authority of the woman to her people, the passion that she showed, and the media wished a slice of that. Willow herself had done more than a few talk shows, as they usually poured the good alcohol, the social skills that'd been drilled into her not really given way to the manners of a drunkard at the time. It had gotten worse, the more she and her husband had grown apart.

She knew the woes of those who had been jilted, the talk show which had delved into her and her husband's marriage having been the worst. She had been still stupid back then, speaking about the wonders of childbirth and how happy she was...

A broken heart did not compare to the broken jaw that he'd given her. She was Willow Schnee, heir to the name of Schnee.

"It's a pleasure to meet with you as well, Mister Schnee."

The woman kept her politeness, as her gaze slid to her. "And your lovely wife, with whom I have sparred in the meetings from time to time..." The look in Sienna's eyes was cautious, yet Willow knew well that this would be a meeting that was tough.

As they arrived at the company headquarters where her husband had his personal fiefdom, he took a moment to regard her, opening his Scroll and pressing the button to call Weiss.

"Let's see whether your daughter can succeed where you failed. Khan was entirely too smug for my liking..."

Her daughter's voice was soft as she responded. "Father?" She felt sadness, as her husband looked at the camera on his Scroll, ready to direct the orders to the girl.

"You are to encourage Arc with your body. You can consider yourself fully disinherited and cast out from the family if you fail." The man cut the connection off, Willow catching a glimpse of surprise and fear on her daughter's face.

 _´No daughter should be told to spread her legs for a man's favour...'_

"What're you glaring at? Go back to your own bed, before you stink up the car with your scent." The glass of scotch that she'd 'spilled' over herself had been soaking into the dress. The gaffe was just enough in-character for her previous self once the alcohol limit had been reached, so she'd had a moment of peace on the toilet.

"Have a very pleasant evening, husband."

She said, and this time she came away unmarked. The man seemed not to have the mood to hit her... this time. As he got out of the car with his bodyguard squad taking their time to make sure that the place was safe enough to get out, her eyes looked at the man. Anger bubbled within her like a witch's cauldron, as she looked at the man with a cool look on her face.

He hadn't returned the wishes, even as she motioned for the driver to drive her to her apartment... They still had their separate places, so that the difference between the two of them wouldn't boil over into the tensions.

Her Scroll in hand, she dialled the number of her daughter, feeling the need to contact her. The poor girl...

"Mother."

The cool tone of voice was enough of a tell for her to realize that her daughter had been in a state, trying to control herself.

"Come here to give me tips on how to pleasure a man?"

' _No...'_

She sighed, which was apparently the wrong thing to do. "Oh, wait... You failed. Couldn't get the young man interested, could you?" Her daughter's voice was laden with anger and frustration, the pain in that voice growing more. "You were useless... just like always. Drunken mama, never to be trusted..."

' _You don't know...'_

She sighed, opening the video chat function, looking at her own face as she stared at the camera. "Weiss, dear..." She tried, her voice tired. "I just wanted to know whether you were alright, and-"

"Do you think this is funny, mother? The boy I like, and I've got to spread my legs for Father's company..." Willow supposed that it would be a curse and a blessing both, though she knew her own thoughts on the matter would be.

"I... I want it to be because he likes me. He's so..." Her daughter floundered, as the tears came. Dripping from her eyes down to her cheeks, her little Weiss was crying.

"He's so nice. So good for us. He's there when you need him to, and..."

It was more than the cold attitude that she'd gotten from her daughter before, undoubtedly the stress influencing her daughter to talk. "And he's sexy without a shirt on."

"I would imagine that that is an enticing thing, yes."

She wanted to say 'Amen, sister', but that would not have been appreciated. It was not a thing that a mother said to her daughter, even though it was true.

"Dad sent you to calm me down, didn't he? That man..."

She knew well her husband's wiles, but it had not come from his hand that she had called. "Tell him that he can pay me my thirty Lien, mother." The call shut off, and she imagined for a moment that her daughter was crying.

It was nothing that she could do. Her daughter was dependent on the stipend that a daughter of the house received, the PR enough to tide the man over, knowing that his daughter was exemplary.

She looked at another number in her Scroll, before deciding to give it a ring. "Eh,yes? Ruby Rose here? Who is this?"

A soft sigh escaped her lips. "Will Snow, one of the aides to Misses Schnee." With the proper inflexion, her voice changed slightly, as she allowed her tone to slowly adjust. "The Mistress has spoken with your partner and has instructed me to call her partner in order to lend her some support. Would you kindly-"

"Of course. If Weiss is sad, I'll be there to cheer her up!"

The voice of the girl was entirely too high-pitched for her to endure, but the call disconnected after a moment.

She could hope that things would go alright.

Her daughter needed a friend... Not some mother who conspired with her father to let her do such horrid things.

* * *

Weiss entered the room, her expression flushed, heat on her cheeks. She looked at him, watching Pyrrha and Ren move past her, taking a deep breath. He smiled at her, which was reciprocated by another smile. A deep breath, followed by the faint shudder that ran up the girl's spine, her eyes resolute.

The door closed and Weiss took a moment. "Please... Please keep seated." Her delicate snow-white hands pulled at some of the buttons, unveiling pale skin, much like her mother's. There was a delicacy within her clothes, a fine woman who was to blossom, as he watched her get some of the top buttons off.

Perfume had been sprayed on her, her gaze at him, her eyes hesitating.

"I... I wish to thank you."

She mumbled, her voice somehow hesitating, as the buttons opened up, and her body was exposed. A set of blue undergarments, wrapped around her breasts and covering her groin, sat there, letting him gaze at the mound between those legs, held out of sight by the blue lingerie that she wore.

"P-please..."

The dress hit the ground, as she stood there. She trembled like a leaf, those blue eyes looking at him with a look that was half-yearning, half fearful.

"I... I want to have... I want to have sex with you. Please..."

She took a step closer, the look in her eyes despairing. If he had been anyone else, he wouldn't have noticed the quiver in her nature, he would have taken what she had on offer.

"Weiss, I..."

She trembled, as she got down on her knees. There was a flush on her cheeks, her hands pressing against his thighs.

"Just... just let me do it... It'll feel g-good."

The words clearly were meant to entice, as her eyes looked up, her hands trailing over his thighs. Her mother would have had him erect and straining with the motions that Weiss made, but...

"Weiss..."

He tried again, as her hands reached his groin. Tears were in the corners of her eyes, he could see them look at him, her hand seizing the zipper.

"I want this, Jaune... Please..."

Her voice was soft, trying to inflect that lustful tone into it, as she slowly pulled the zipper down. His hand grabbed hers, and she froze up, looking at him with eyes that were scared, fearful, innocent and trying to act as if she wasn't.

"O-oh... No, I should... I should s-show you first, yes. Display the beauty of Schnee."

She got up, standing there like a pale snow goddess, her hands reaching behind her, the bra unclasped, dropping to the ground with a simple shrug of her arms, leaving her pale skin to almost shine in the light of the room. Her hands continued, even as she slid the underwear down. Stepping out of it, she stood before him, her eyes moist, looking at him, waiting for him to say something, to pounce on her like some teenage beast of lust.

"I'm... I'm yours, Jaune. P-please?"

Her voice was tender, yet he saw it in her eyes. He got up from the bed. She shrank back a little, subconsciously guarding herself. She shrank away just a touch, turning her body away, so that he wouldn't see her full nakedness.

' _You poor girl...'_

"Weiss..."

Her head turned, looking at him. Her lips were parted slightly, her eyes wet with emotion. As he touched her, she flinched, the response instinctive. She was nothing like her mother. She wasn't the suave seductress, whose touch could only bring happiness, who could make him aroused with a mere caress over his shoulder and a breathy whisper in his ear.

She was just a teenager, uncertain, hesitant, unwilling to share her body with him but forced to do it, for some sort of gain. He could see it in her eyes, he could watch the tremors shake her pale flesh. You would have to be a monster to desecrate this innocent flesh.

"No."

Her expression was hurt, tears coming and she just breathed out, turned and bolted. The door slammed shut. A door opened and slammed shut. It was luck that they shared dorms that were close enough to be just a hop across the hallway, even with how the attempt had went whilst she had tried to seduce him. He sighed deeply.

' _I didn't mean to hurt you... but...'_

She was uncertain. Nervous and unwilling. If it had been some sort of girl who'd given him attention when he had been younger, he would have thought the world of her, and her virginity would have been lost in a flash, leaving the pair of them empty of spirit. It wouldn't have been a good choice.

He picked up her clothing, starting to fold them. The bra and the underwear had been newly bought, clearly only worn for the occasion.

 _'There is nothing that I can do...'_

A knock on the door, a hesitant knocking which followed. He walked to the door, opening it a touch to see the silver eyes of Ruby look up at him. "Jaune, I... Weiss came back and... and..." He handed her the folded clothes, Ruby nodding once in understanding. No words needed to be said, as it was kept between the two of them.

"Be there for her. She... she needs it." He told Ruby, who nodded. She smiled softly.

"I'm not..."

He paused for a moment, unsure of what to say. "Tell her that I'm not mad at her, that I..." He still didn't know what to say.

"That I appreciate what she wanted to offer me, but that I'm not..."

He sighed. "I'm not going to take something that she should give to someone who she loves." Ruby's eyes seemed to understand, a sadness in them for a moment, as the girl's lips made a soft smile.

"I'll... I'll make sure that Blake keeps her mouth shut." The firmness in Ruby's voice was there, as the silver eyes looked into his own.

"And... And I'd like it if you could talk to her for a bit, maybe... tomorrow? She'd like that. Probably. I mean, I don't know, but..."

He nodded, closing the door. He firmed his heart. The world was a mess. The great war between the woman known as Salem and the man known as Ozma was still ongoing. He compiled what he knew.

The woman known as Cinder Fall to the world, together with her cronies, was someone who moved against the Kingdom of Vale as a whole, if not the world. The release of the Faunus and the Grimm invasion a few days ago had been something planned. If more Huntsmen had been away, it would have become a tragedy that would have been hard to recover from.

Cinder Fall had to die. Any woman who threatened those he loved...

" _Sic semper tyrannis. Thus always to tyrants. It's somewhat of an old phrase, little brother, but it is something that was instructed by the dynasty before the councils took over. The only thing that awaits a tyrant is death."_

His older sister Camellia had been a historian, once upon a time. She had loved to learn about the past, in order to educate the people of the world about the flaws of society. The phrase had been uttered during the Atlesian Civil War, when Mantle and Atlas had finally separated. Auburn Linoleum had been shot through the head by a man who had challenged the status quo, post-Faunus Rights Revolution.

' _And thus, I take the step upon this path of death, to slay the monster which lurks at its end.'_

It was a melancholic thought. He walked into the bathroom, looking into the mirror. Blue eyes met the reflection of those eyes.

' _It's time that I do what others would not. There will be no trial, no judge to grant you absolution...'_

The hardening eyes, as his gaze turned scornful, anger frozen on his face, looking at his reflection.

' _You are going to die, Cinder Fall. I am the executioner, even though you know it not.'_

He had to trust in his weapon. The Sniper variant had only been seen by Ruby and Yang, so it was enough to keep the secret. He hoped that they would... But he trusted them.

' _No matter what...'_

Sometimes, good men had to do evil. It would be his sin to bear the death of innocents, should they be caught in the fray. The good of the people compared to the death of a few was more beneficial. A cold and logical rationale, but he knew that he would pull the trigger when it came for the time to make that shot.

' _I will make sure that the world is safe, that they have their heroes, even if I must be a villain.'_

* * *

She bounced a little in her step, humming a little tune under her breath. Detention with professor Goodwitch had involved a mop, a lengthy sermon on proper communication and a warning to cease such implications.

Opening the door, she took note of the fact that Weiss and Ruby were huddled together below the covers on Weiss' bed, the pale girl looking like she'd had a particularly bad day, Ruby's voice lighter and airier than Weiss' voice was. They were talking about something, even as Yang looked at Blake, whose attention was on a book. It wasn't like she was actually reading, Yang knew, because the eyes hardly moved, Blake having a few tells whenever she was reading.

"Hey there, gang." The look of Weiss was a little tender, the girl wearing only her nightgown. _'It isn't that late, is it?'_

She shrugged her jacket off, throwing it onto her bed. She'd get to that after the shower. "Hitting the shower, gals." There had been less of a response, with the girls looking slightly down. Yang couldn't be bothered, as she was sweaty and in need of that shower. Everything else was secondary to being clean and well-groomed, because she wasn't going to be the smelly one on team RWBY.

Stepping under the shower, she mentally replayed the events of combat class this morning, feeling the embrace that Jaune had briefly given her when he caught her. Her nipples had been like steel when she'd felt him let go of her, and the thought of just... doing romance stuff with him had been interesting.

She emerged, wearing her nightclothes, her pajamas feeling wonderfully fresh on her skin.

"Sooo... What's new, gang?"

Weiss looked up at her, quiet for once. Normally she'd have been in a huff about being a bother by calling them some gang, as they were not 'unruly hooligans with little sense' in her mind, but there was something that made her older sister instincts flare up. A tender experience, enough to flare her thoughts up to a moment of clarity, post-shower.

"What's the matter, Weiss? Mommy issues?"

The girl seemed to be introspective, blue eyes looking at her, Ruby's own silver gaze watching carefully for something.

"No... It's my father. His... request, well..." Weiss floundered, looking tired. Her eyes were red too. Perhaps she'd been up for a little too long? Yang could understand that. Stress stuff was bad. That's why she liked to exercise. "His latest request went beyond the pale."

"What'd he do? Ask you to fuck a dude for his stocks to increase?"

It'd been a joke, but Weiss got up and stalked to the bathroom, Yang catching sight of an emotional face, as Ruby sighed deeply. As the door slammed shut, she could hear the echo go on.

"Was it something I said?"

She mumbled, feeling worry shoot through her system. Her younger sister gave her the patented 'Bad Yang' look, giving her the hint that things were seriously wrong.

The sobs in the bathroom were a good indication that things weren't super. Ruby near-flashed over, starting to try and open the door. "Weiss, it's okay! She didn't mean it like that!"

' _Oh shit, the guy actually DID ask her to do that?'_

The image of Weiss with some old dude just made her stomach turn. There was one thing that she wasn't going to be doing, and that was whoring herself out to whoever wanted a slice of the Yang for a bang. She'd liked her novels, she'd liked the quiet and she wasn't going to be some trophy party girl for the man to come and bang... Nope.

Weiss emerged nearly an hour later, her eyes still red. "Hey, Weiss... I'm sorry. I didn't know." The hug that she got from Weiss was a lot tighter than the one she'd felt previously, the sensation enough to make it uncomfortable for her to be hugged, but the girl seemed to need it.

"I'll go put a Dust round in the guy's face for trying to do that to you."

The girl had been upset, and she knew not really what to do. With Ruby, things were easier, but Weiss was a wholly different animal.

The girl stiffened a little in her grip, even with her body relaxing a little. Yang could feel the tears soak into her pajama's, not minding the emotional outburst one bit. She was a good sister, she thought. She'd make Weiss feel comfortable...

And she'd get Mister Schnee, whatever his face looked like, a few new bruises. Nobody fucked her team up without Yang Xiao-Long being on the case!

* * *

Taking the shot was harder than he had imagined. Waiting for Cinder and her companions to be at the site where they'd have relative privacy and comfort of shade was something that he had experienced. It'd been nearly an hour since he had excused himself from Pyrrha and Ren's company, after getting the observation details.

The scope he had already calibrated, the range-finder attachment that he had for the sniper function like a red glow on the scope, as the dial was slowly dialled down. The technology was definitely high-grade and wonderful, though he knew that there would be one chance that he'd have. If this failed...

' _I won't fail.'_

The call to Yang's Scroll was for security. They would likely check Ruby's Scroll, seeing as the Sniper rifle function of Crescent Rose was a great hint. If he missed and Cinder Fall escaped...

' _No matter what...'_

For Remnant's safety, Cinder Fall had to die.

The specifics of the weather had another dial. The small adjustment on the biometrics, as he put in the weather conditions into the internal computer of the scope or whatever, he waited patiently. He could see the woman's lips in motion, the three seated in a space aside from the crowd, just like regular anti-social Haven students. Now was the time. He would have to take the shot before the woman's body angled away. There would be no second chances. One shot, one kill.

" _Sic Semper Tyrannis."_

A pull of the trigger. A kick of the rifle and he watched as Cinder Fall's chest blossomed with the round's explosion, her neck and most of her jaw evaporated into a bloody mist before the Fire Dust immolated the surroundings. Aura only worked when the person was aware, he'd gleaned from the memories of people.

The next shot, easily aligned thanks to the aid of the little bipod that he'd liberated from below the barrel, took out the silver-haired teenager, the next round put in the chamber, before the next shot came with a dull 'thuff' sound. A moment to switch to Gravity Dust, in order to gather the bodies together, the blast to make sure that they'd all be in the proper spot...

Then, the final shot. The highest payload of Fire Dust, together with some accelerant to make sure that there would be nothing left able to draw breath. Ensuring that they were dead was the objective. He would _not_ fail and see those he loved be harmed.

He looked at the bodies, dispassionately watching the people freak out. In some part, he should be joining them in horror, as he had just killed three people, but there was nothing but a cold vindication in his mind at this time. The Scroll was clicked off, as he pocketed it once more, the spent casings tucked away into a pocket.

 _'Alright...'_

Flipping the switch that'd put the Rifle within regular rifle mode, he slung it over his back, before walking towards the edge of the building's back, leaping off. A Glyph materialized below, arresting his fall, right behind some dumpsters.

 _'Part two…'_

One of the Dumpsters he flicked open, as his fingers went down his throat and the bile welled up. He didn't feel the remorse. He only felt vindication and the truth that he had ended a threat before it could hurt those he loved.

Jaune Arc threw up in one of the dumpsters. Not an uncommon sight, as his motion sickness was well-known and joked about. He could hear the rush of people, going to the site of the disaster that'd happened. The vomit was enough to hide his tracks, as most students from Beacon knew him well enough to make the connection.

He joined the crowd of people, watching the sight of the Atlas Soldiers already cordoning off the area. A look of faint confusion, as if he'd only just joined the students there to mass at the site of the assassination.

He felt Pyrrha's hand slip into his, palming the casings to her. She did not agree, but she followed his lead. Ren and Nora were clued in, and RWBY would keep the secret… most likely.

It was a stretch to go so far, but he was not going to let Cinder Fall harm any of his friends. "That's horrible…" He said aloud, joining the chorus of voices who said similar things. Pyrrha's face was grave, as she sighed. Three squeezes, a good sign for the two of them to get out of the place.

He caught sight of Yang leaning against his team's dorm door, her expression serious, the young woman's breathing a little heavier, making her imposing chest make all the more wobbles.

"Why?"

She asked, as he smiled bitterly. He motioned for her to step aside, before entering the room first, letting Yang in and Pyrrha to close the door.

"She was responsible for the Breach."

The blonde stiffened. She remembered what had happened a week ago.

"Her minions were asking about Sienna Khan… And one of them was responsible for shooting her." It was the factual statement that couldn't be denied. He knew that it was wrong to kill… But…

"The woman has hurt so many people through her actions…" He firmed up, as he looked into the blonde's eyes.

"I won't let them take you away from me, Yang. You might be next… Or Ruby. Do you want to see Ruby be stabbed in the back and left to bleed out?"

Jaune knew that Ruby was Yang's Achilles heel, the feeling that she held for her younger sister enough to power through nearly anything. It was the look that she sent him that confirmed to him that he had convinced her, as she nodded.

"Blake recognized the quote. Atlesian history, right?"

He nodded, feeling glad that something had happened. Yang understood, even with her gaze going down.

"I'll… I'll tell them. Ruby wasn't… Well, she wasn't fond of them, but it still shook her up pretty badly."

He knew well that those who were innocent often were the first to be hurt. The devoted, the innocent and the fools often were harmed the most…

"Thank you."

He said, giving her his thanks. Yang looked at him for a moment before she hugged him. It was warm, it was kindness that spurred her on, as she looked up. Their height difference really showed now.

"My uncle's killed a few people he'd rather not have… It's…. It's something that he always said was for the best of Remnant. I don't feel any different about you, knowing what you've done."

His smile was macabre, as she leaned up, kissing his lips gently.

Compared to what he had felt before, there was now a genuine feeling behind it, as she let her lips linger, her gaze locked with his own. It was sweet, tender and loving, as she parted from his lips, a smile on hers.

"You care much for us. If there'd been another way…"

He lowered his gaze. "They'd put her on trial. The one who is behind it would just get another of their minions… Atlas may be the home of inventions, but it is also a hive of corruption…" A scowl on his face, as he remembered Willow Schnee's recollection of negotiations with the Atlas military. "She would get off because there would be nothing to link her to her crimes… And then she'd disappear."

Death was too good for a woman like Cinder Fall.

As he laid in his bed that night, after having given Ruby an apology for disturbing her day, he could feel the weariness of the day settle in. It was not the time for him to feel like this. He could sense that there was something going to happen. Something big.

The smell of pumpkin spices and coffee invaded his nostrils as someone crawled into bed with him. He'd worry about that later, as he heard a familiar female voice whisper a soft 'goodnight' to him, which didn't surprise him. The smaller form hugged him, as he could feel the hands wrap around him.

It was comfortable. As long as nobody asked the questions, he could enjoy his moment of reprieve.

"Goodnight, Amber."

He had done the right thing. The Fall Maiden was safe.

* * *

 **RWBY has kept their silence! Weiss tried and failed at seduction! Will they track down the mysterious sniper assassin?! In the next chapter… Schnee-nanigans!**


	36. Dirty Dancing

**Chapter 36: Dirty Dancing**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

He woke slowly from the dregs of sleep, aware of the knocking on his dorm room's door. As he noticed Amber stir a little, he wondered for the first time how she'd gotten in without him knowing, the hour of the morning still around three. He heard Ren stir in his bed, Nora giving a loud snore. Pyrrha was silent, as always.

"Shall I get the door?"

The Fall Maiden questioned as she got into a more preferable position, her body angled up. The bandages that she wore around her body had been what kept her modest, even as he stretched lightly. He was still wearing pyjama's, comfortable ones.

"I'll get it…"

He had no anticipation of what laid behind the door. It could be someone who was there to ask for a favour, a teacher, or a squad of angry Atlesian soldiers there to arrest him. He walked to the door and opened it a crack.

"Yes?"

The door slammed right in his face as an irate-looking Winter Schnee gave the sign and seven burly-looking soldiers of Atlas decided to rouse his team from their slumber. As he went down, he mildly noticed that there had been a mark on the ceiling which hadn't been there, mildly recounting Nora's earlier comment that night about having done a bounce, even as the shouts continued.

"You are under arrest for the assassination of foreign nationals on Academy grounds, Mister Arc. It is with a slight twinge of amusement that I am here to suggest that you do not struggle, as Atlas Military affairs will take over this case, as we are here to protect the civilians of Vale from the danger that lurks amongst them."The words were formalese, he knew. He was 'assisted' by the Atlesian soldiers, watching Pyrrha already get into a position to assist. Amber's hands were busy with getting something on that looked actually serviceable to cover herself up.

"Interesting."

He said, mutedly. Talking wouldn't really help that much, especially with how Winter seemed to be smugger than Willow when she'd gotten a particularly good deal. "I assume that you have solid evidence for these allegations, Miss Schnee?"

"We do."

He could see it in her face that she didn't. It was a witch hunt, undoubtedly motivated by her dislike for him. Willow knew her eldest daughter well and Winter had never been able to successfully lie to her mother in any aspect.

"Then I will cast myself to General Ironwood's judgment… Though I will have to inquire whether Professor Ozpin knows of this arrest. By Valean law, he is still the Headmaster of Beacon."

The woman looked a little tense, before she motioned with her hand, several of the soldiers looking at the members of his team as if daring them to make a move.

Amber was ignored, based on her state of undress, though Jaune knew that she was by far the most dangerous member in the room. The woman had a sort of base cunning below the kindness that she held, a trait that had served her well within the position that she had newly inherited from the previous Fall Maiden, whose assassination had been pulled off perfectly by the woman known as Salem.

"March, Arc. We'll discuss this in the holding cell."

He supposed that it was time for him to march. It was a novel case.

"I'll be back before the first class starts, guys… You're my team, so I'd not leave you out to dry if I can help it."

They would be fine. It was all going to be fine, as he had left no traces. There were no camera's that he had spotted, nor was there some sort of overhead surveillance system that could be found as he'd scouted out the sniping spot.

Winter Schnee looked smug in her marching as she walked ahead of him, a bitter thought in his mind about the possible legalities that were being flouted with this abuse of power by General Ironwood. The man had been interested in his relationship with Sienna Khan, so it wouldn't be too far out of the question that he would be questioned about that, moreso than the realistic issue of having to actually account for his presence.

He was led to a waiting vessel that would ferry him up towards one of the ships that hung above Beacon, the largest flagship looking fairly solid as it hung there, like a large hand about to swat down on Vale. "Keep moving, kid." One of the soldiers said, as Jaune shrugged.

Resisting wouldn't serve the purpose that he wanted. Winter Schnee might think she knew a lot, but in comparison to her mother, who had the etiquette lessons and the management lessons pounded into her head harder than a hooker in a gangbang, she was sorely lacking.

"Well, at least I've got a nice piece of ass to look at."

It was a childish remark, one that a teenager might use, but Winter Schnee's face was frozen in that distasteful look.

' _That's it… You're angry, upset…'_

"What? Am I going to get you to thro… Oh… Your father talked to you."

The frown on her face was like she didn't understand what he was getting at. "Ask your sister, if she's calmed down… I see where this is going." Weiss felt bad about it, he knew.

"I don't like your tone, 'boy'."

The anger in her voice was like a living thing, as he grinned cockily at her. It was one of the things that Winter wouldn't be able to resist.

"Get in, kid. Don't annoy Specialist Schnee."

He was pushed into the aircraft, put in one of the seats and strapped in, Winter Schnee sitting in front of him, her face tense and her eyes angry.

"I mean, it must be quite something, to have your father tell you to get me alone so you can perform your wicked little seduction plot on me… I would think that after your mother and your sister, you'd have a little bit more self-respect, Winter."

The anger on her face was there, as she got up. She was nearly unbalanced as the craft took off.

"My sister would never do something with you, nor would… Well, mother might. That woman would do anything for a bottle of good liquor."

Anger welled up inside him, squashed and pressed tightly as he looked at the insensitive girl.

' _Willow loves you more than you know.'_

"She wanted me to fuck her, to break your father a deal with me. Why should I expect the little girl who can't keep her face straight to be anything different, huh?" There was a wave of tight-wound anger in his voice, as he looked into the woman's eyes.

"Why should I not expect to be put into a chair, have you strip and perform some sex acts on me that would have these men blush and whinge about how unfair life is, before your daddy comes in and makes me sign, hmm?"

The raw and naked anger on her face was real, and he knew that he had her properly steamed.

"And when you cum, you're going to be making your daddy get more power over you… How does it feel to be the SDC's whore, Winter? Does that feel good? Knowing that you're the only bitch of the family who actually puts out f-"

His head cracked back, and Winter's face was flushed red and angry. Her knuckles were still extended from the punch that she'd given him.

"Don't act as if you know me! You-"

She realized at that moment what she had just done, as the soldiers looked at her with shock in their eyes, obviously stunned by her lack of control.

"You hit a huntsman trainee, Winter Schnee. That's going on your record. Their ADF chips will send the information to the main servers in Atlas in thirty seconds from now."

The woman paled. It was a neat little thing that Willow Schnee had remembered from her time in the research and development branch of the Schnee Dust Company, before the arms had been rolled out for the use. Weiss knew, at least tangentially, that they existed, as the heir had to be appraised with the information.

"A detained student, formally charged with treasonous acts, still a citizen of Vale, manhandled before he even got to see legal counsel…"

The look of anger appeared on her face again, as she knew that she was wrong, that she had done something that was against every military code that had been drilled into her.

He needed her angry, as he knew that time was ticking for him. Within ten seconds, there would be an update, unless the acting Specialist gave the order for the data to be erased. To keep her off her balance, he would need to hit hard.

"Daddy would be proud of you, right? My, you're starting to become just like him."

That was the sensitive snare that he needed to pluck at, his face rocking back once more, his nose starting to bleed as she'd hit him with her full strength. "You know _nothing_ about me, Arc."

"Winter Schnee, Age 22. Graduated with honours from Alsius Academy, entered the Specialist Training Program at age 19 as one of its youngest applicants. Graduated as team leader for her squad, sending a message to her dear sister once every six weeks, as per official standards. Officially, registered as a Specialist, but her younger sister suspects that she is more of the General's Manager of Staff rather than a Specialist." The information was all that generally had been available in the letters to Weiss that Winter had sent and that Willow had been appraised of, as was formally known with all of the mail in the household. It had been something that Klein had been aware of, in a desire to keep his Mistress in the loop. Willow hadn't been attentive, but that didn't mean that the knowledge faded from her memories.

"She would never tell someone like you that!"

The hesitation on her face, the anger that warred with it and the realization that he might be telling the truth.

"She bared herself to me and told me to fuck her, Winter. There are a lot of things that your sister told me, because she likes me."

He could see that Winter mused on that, and he knew that Weiss liked him. It was written on her face, as the insight had come with the time of knowledge that had been provided to him. Weiss Schnee was no Willow, nor was she Winter Schnee.

Weiss was a teenager who hadn't had the time to grow into the beautiful flower that she would be in a few years. She had little skill in the way of political trafficking, her temper entirely too great to maintain the poise of a woman of standing, but Willow had not corrected the girl.

"You're disgusting."

The woman said, to which he merely grinned. Acting like an asshole in just the right manner would keep Winter in a state of frustrated irritation, which made her all the more easily manipulated.

"Do you know what the fun part was, Winter? Your sister is terribly ticklish when she's at that high, so-"

The hit was expected and he braced himself. His nose definitely was bleeding now, the droplets of blood hitting the pyjamas that he wore. They stained. It was a blatant lie that he'd spoken about Weiss. The thought of Weiss in any fashion as sexual had been squashed with the memories of Willow. It was more paternal love for her that he felt rather than love as a man did to a woman, but…

"Specialist Schnee, can-"

The woman barked an order at them, but the damage had already been done. The upload was completed, undoubtedly to the server on the vessel. It would take thirty minutes for the backup server to be sending the transmission through the CCT and off to Atlas proper.

' _Let's see how you defend yourself in court against flagrant abuse of a prisoner, Winter Schnee…'_

There was a certain vindication in that feeling, as he knew well the woes of such a trial. Willow had to know such proceedings, as enmeshed as the SDC was with the military. Her knowledge was at his command, as the memories tingled at his mind.

* * *

He had visited team RWBY's dorm nearly a day before he had taken the shot. It had taken a moment for him to be admitted, Weiss having been unwilling to see him.

As he was admitted and the other members filtered out, he waited for her to speak, as he watched the withdrawn look on her face. There was a hopeless look on her face as she met his gaze. "Was I… Was I not good enough?"

"It's not that, Weiss."

He said, his voice soft and at that tone where you would comfort a child. He could see nothing but that little girl who had sang for her mother, who needed a guiding hand in her life.

"Can I sit?"

She nodded. "Please, do… I…" She looked upset once more. "I didn't want to… It wasn't…" A bitter expression, as the tears came once more like a flood. He sat down next to her, her body leaning against his own. "I want you to like me for me… Not for… my body."

"I like you, Weiss."

Her eyes turned dewy, as she inhaled sharply. Her arms wrapped around him and she pressed her lips against his own in a kiss, one that contained the passion that she felt. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her gently. He broke the kiss.

"But not as anything more than a friend. I'm the one who should be sorry…"

She whimpered, as he pulled her closer. "It's Yang, isn't it? I've seen how you two interact, and… and…" He could empathize with her. It must hurt to see the boy she liked be with a girl who was better equipped in the front compartment, as well as more able to dismiss the trappings of civility to throw down with him in all sorts of settings.

"You don't have to be envious of her, Weiss. I know you'll grow up to be a beautiful girl."

There was a faint hint of wistfulness in his voice, as he knew that she would have to grow up. She hurt on the inside, enough to make herself feel pained at the merest thought of him denying her.

"I can… I can be the girl on the side? A mistress, I… I really really like you."

Her voice was pleading, as he knew that she was stubbornly clinging to the fantasy of the boy she liked. "I…"

He kissed her. Her next words would be something degrading to herself, he knew her well enough for that to guess such a thing, and he wouldn't hear it. His hand pushed her down on the bed, her cheeks flushed, as he pushed his tongue into her mouth, her own tongue hesitantly touching him in return. He broke the kiss, looking at her.

"I know you like me. That kiss was for you, because you love someone." Her eyes were hopeful, yearning. There was a craving in her eyes, a desire that went beyond the pleasures of the flesh.

With a husband at a young age, she would be her mother in a few years, seeking solace in the bottle and trying to forget times which had been bad.

"But I can't return your feelings, Weiss. I'm… I'm together with Sienna Khan."

Pain in her eyes was fierce, as she turned her head away. She was on the bed, below him, yet she shivered. "I'm sorry, but… But I am happy that you feel like that. You are your mother's youngest daughter, so she would be proud of you to have shown to the boy that you liked this side of you."

"Mother tried to seduce you as well, didn't she?"

She had, Jaune knew. It was visible on his face, as Weiss got the confirmation that she needed.

"Father… Father has too much control over the company. The moment that mother takes over if he was found to be infirm is the moment that the company will go under."

It was a wrong assessment. Willow had changed. She had shifted her priorities towards the preservation of the company and her family. She loved her daughters. "It's my legacy, it's m-" He shook his head.

"It's not your legacy, nor is it your responsibility. Trust your mother's abilities."

The words were hard to say, because he wanted to say more, yet this was not what Weiss needed. "She's an adult, and she's very good at verbally meeting Sienna's rather aggressive style of negotiating." They had been in the same room more than once.

"You would say that, to defend your girlfriend."

Weiss said, her voice still somewhat sad.

"But… Why her? Why not someone your own age?"

He asked himself that too. Sienna Khan was 29, nearly thirty. Why did he go for a woman whose spirit burned brighter than many Dust lights? Why did the thought of her make his heartbeat race, as he knew that she would be much more eloquent than he was in situations like this.

"Because she is Sienna."

It was the simplest way to say it. Her little confident grins as she saw something that she could capitalize on, the small little frown that she got whenever she was in some sort of situation where negotiation would need to be done in order to get her goal achieved, the sensuality with which she moved.

"She's… She's a little crude, a blunt woman who goes for the throat… But she's also compassionate and cares for her friends and her people."

There were descriptors for those which were less flattering, but Sienna still held a warm spot in his heart, even with her mule-headed moments at times. It was not something that he would immediately push aside as if it were merely a figment of the imagination.

"She cares for good relations between humanity and the Faunus. She could call them to war, if she so wishes, but that would not solve a single thing." He had heard something of the sort, but the look on Weiss' face was fearful. It was clear that Atlesian perspectives on a war with the Faunus were not that pleasant, though Willow had a far more neutral view on matters, undoubtedly as a person who had ties to the industrial heart of Atlas.

"Not that she would. It's not like she is a great general or anything… But still. I don't think that I ever will dislike her. She has spirit. She has compassion, although it was a little tough getting her to stop referring to me as 'human'." He cracked a little smile.

"She's… She's a fierce woman. She intimidates me."

Weiss said in a small voice, and he mentally felt a sting of amusement.

' _Your mother is best friends with her… Oh well, I'd better smoothen things over.'_

"She's a woman who cares. I don't think she would ever attack you."

That was more his job, to be attacked by Sienna Khan. That woman had a clear set of priorities, and his manly duties in the bedroom took precedence to a lot of things, it seemed.

Some of the Faunus did seem to be seriously intimidated by him, though. They gave him looks and whispered, stopping when he paused to listen. They all seemed to shy away from him as if he had some sort of disease.

Sienna had only said that it was 'The due of the Strong', leaving it at that. He wasn't sure what to make of that. Sienna was mysterious in many ways, of course, but she never would leave things out. She was honest to that level, because it wouldn't matter to her, as long as it got done in time.

"Oh… Well… Can I… Can I get a hug? And can we get up? I mean…"

She was pulled up into a hug that he gladly gave. She quivered still, but there was some sort of sad peace within her.

"I'm… I'm going to be okay. I'm not… I'm still not fully over it, I think, but… But it's going to be better. Thank you, Jaune."

She was honest in her words, her voice light as she spoke, the touch of her hands on his back giving him the warmth of that cute girl with the loneliness clinging to her, as she rubbed her cheek to his cheek in a gesture of almost-kissing.

"I'm going to enjoy the sight of Yang when she finds out you're dating Sienna Khan."

Jaune didn't enlighten her to the fact that Yang probably knew. Sienna was a lot of things, but definitely _not_ a quiet lover.

* * *

Willow Schnee was a mystery to Sienna Khan sometimes. As the High Leader of the White Fang sat upon her cushioned seat, she saw the look in the eyes of the man seated opposite of her, those stern cold blue eyes regarding her with a look that was as still as the surface of one of Atlas' ice seas.

"That proposal is preposterous! We would never agree to it. We have _rights,_ Mister Schnee."

The man had come with a proposal straight out of hand, after the meeting at the soiree last night. It was something of an amusing contrivance of fate, if she had the time to think on such matters, rather than to be annoyed with the man for being a bother at this early hour in the afternoon.

"Rights and still a cost of living, Miss Khan."

The man said, glibly. "It would be easier if you signed and ensured that the worker's compensation is raised by the margin that we are proposing." It would be easier indeed, but it would also remove the hazard pay that was mandated by law.

Labour unions would be up in arms with terms and contracts like this, and it had been a weak representative who had caved to the system that had been set up. "We will not work for slave wages, Mister Schnee." Willow's expression was carefully neutral, her fingers tapping twice on her upper arm, a signal that she should simmer down a little.

"But there is room for negotiation, always."

Dealing with the man was yet another chore and a half, and she would rather be elsewhere than to have to deal with the man. How Willow could stand to be in the same room as this man and even have produced three children with him was a mystery, though the man's moustache moved slightly with his breathing, his eyes narrowed.

"Of course. If I hadn't thought about that, I would have hired the zookeeper to merely change the schedule."

The gritting of her teeth was soft, yet her eyes blazed as she looked at the man with anger flaring up inside her.

"A three percentile increase in the yields would need recompense of…"

The legalese was something that she left to the accounting department, knowing the forms and files that were to be discussed today at this meeting. She'd banged the whole economical force up plenty times to ensure swift work. When she'd rang the head up and told the guy to get his ass down to the headquarters in Vale and present a good labour solution, it had been thirty minutes before they all arrived.

' _Sometimes, it is good to be Khan.'_

The respect that she was owed for surviving the Pogrom and ensuring the swift elimination of all challengers was something that moved the Faunus. Her man knew that not, but it was something of an unspoken thing that she had done, marking him as hers by scent. Every time they had sex, she knew that he would smell like her for the next day or so before the scent was scrubbed off by the natural accretion of scents from others.

It was her own way of staking a claim on the man. There was nobody who would dare to seize from Khan what belonged to Khan. Sienna Khan was the top predator in the food chain and her mate was nothing if not the one who stood with her at that spot. Until some young upstart came to challenge the both of them, she was content with being his woman.

Formally, it was not really defined, but the feelings that she felt when she was with him definitely were those of kinship. She would have to arrange for something that would show her good intent to him, as she knew that humans appreciated those little gestures.

"We can agree on that, though I will let it be parsed through our finance department."

Willow looked at her with a questioning look, as her husband got up. Sienna could not see what her fiend thought of her husband now as she took his arm, the dutiful wife seizing her husband by the arm as the picture-perfect image of two people of high standing.

"Allow me to show you out."

She walked in front of them, the members of the organization cowed through her sheer presence alone. Her body burned with the urge to tear the man's head off, yet there was no prison term in store for her as long as she knew that she had the power that she held.

As she watched the limousine with the Schnee family crest flags depart, she allowed herself a sigh of annoyance, striding towards her office and slamming the door. Throwing herself on the couch that she reserved for visitors, she started to parse through her messages, noticing one that stood out.

 **E.T.: Will pop in tomorrow. Adam is better. How's the boyfriend? Rate him one to 'Ravish me, human'**

It was time-stamped yesterday, so that must mean that she'd have a visit from Eve to look forward to.

' _Great… From the Schnee to the Taurus…'_

The door opened nearly two hours later to unveil a sports-wear-wearing Eve Taurus, looking fitter than she had, her eyes looking for any signs of others before she closed the door.

"Sienna, we need to talk."

Sienna could understand that. A lot had happened since the Taurus siblings had been under the care of that sicko who'd been Adam's girlfriend at the time.

"We do, yes."

Eve looked uncharacteristically serious, as she pointed to the Scroll.

"Have you watched the news?"

Sienna hadn't. There hadn't been time for her to do that, nor had there been enough time for her to even get herself a cup of coffee with something strong mixed through it. A good stiff drink would make the hurt of dealing with the Schnee's go away.

She grabbed the bottle hidden within her special drawer and poured herself a coffee cup half-full, before she added some more of the liquor and then mimicked the pouring of coffee.

"Not yet."

Eve held up her Scroll and turned it to her. The purple-haired tart known as Lisa Looselegs came up once more, looking like she'd need her face slammed a few times in the nearest hard surface, her eyes looking concerned.

"… upon Beacon grounds. The preliminary reports tell of a weapon using explosive Dust rounds being used, as authorities withhold the information about the calibre of the rifle and ensure that the safety of those in training are no longer a concern. The unknown shooter, who-" The woman slid a finger over the Scroll's image, the video turning towards a very familiar set of faces.

' _That cunt is dead.'_

There was a vindictive sense in her that was roused, as she saw the faces of Cinder Fall, Mercury Black and Emerald Sustrai depicted there, the loose-lipped Lisa letting the whole world know about the tragedy that had befallen a team of three prospective Huntsmen.

' _Oh, that's going to be one hell of a fuck-a-thon for my man...'_

"There was Dust involved. Someone put these guys on ice, and they used some very high-yield explosive Dust for it." Eve's eyes were serious, as she looked at her superior and friend. Sienna knew that it would be one of a few suspects that would have the access and the motive.

' _Jaune would be one of the suspects, if I had to make a guess at it.'_

The young man was certainly a suspect, though she knew that the SDC hadn't published the fact that the hero of Vale wielded a weapon that had been made by their research division. The Dust though... would be interesting. He was canny enough to know not to spread it too much, and Willow would have given him the finest stuff...

' _If it was him, we're going to experiment. There's a few things I've been meaning to give a go...'_

"Do you think it was him?"

She asked the question, Eve giving a light nod. The woman looked a little more pensive, no doubt due to the trauma of her experiences.

"Logic points that way... But how he knew who it was..."

That was a mystery, but it was also something that Sienna could delve in later when she'd met up with her man once more. There were always different things to say about a situation at the point where you'd have the oversight taken care of.

She was sure that it would be fine. He wasn't the aptest for missions that would require secrecy, but even he knew decently how to move out of the danger zone... She guessed.

 _'This is definitely going to be one of those gifts that makes him unable to get up for a day. Fuck, did I just get horny like a bitch in heat at seeing that cunt taken out...'_

She was a benevolent woman to her man.

* * *

The space where he had been contained was smaller than Sienna's office, the table and the chairs stood there, both bolted to the ground of the vessel. He could see the reflective surface behind him, calmly taking the measure. It was no use getting upset, as he knew that the blood had not been washed from his pyjama's yet.

The door opened and Winter Schnee, accompanied by General Ironwood, entered. A device was set on the table, giving enough indication that this was to be some sort of interrogation. "General James Ironwood and Specialist Winter Schnee, interrogating a suspect." The date and the time was given, as the imposing man sat in front of him, Jaune's eyes watching the man with a careful gaze.

There was no weighing the sins that he had committed, no justification for killing the three, except that he had to. He could plead for no mercy, because he had decided that their life would be ended. A sinner he might be to those who believed in the kindness of the world, but the cold hard reality of this world is something that he would never misjudge.

"Mister Jaune Arc, we have placed you under arrest for conspiracy against the Vytal festival and the homicide of three students of Haven Academy, as well as colluding with Sienna Khan."

Surprise did not show on his face as he looked into the man's eyes. The metal clip above his head was a receiver for the metal prosthetics that the man wore, the stern face of the man looking at him, as he shifted in his seat.

"So you say."

The words were measured, calm and patient. James Ironwood was not a man who easily trusted, Willow knew that and so did Jaune now, as he took the man's measure. "I would imagine that there would be evidence that can be produced, as well as a legal representative to be found in order to defend me..."

It was technically only a gesture of faith from the legal system to appoint a representative, but in this case... a military tribunal might be in the future. If he was to go down, he would at the very least drag Winter Schnee down with him. "As well as having a complaint filed against Winter Schnee for abuse of a non-Atlas Huntsman-in-Training, as detailed in the International Atlesian Transcripts of an hour and fourty minutes before, at the stated time." The time he spoke clearly, for the benefit of the recorder.

The general's face was stern, as he looked at him with a disapproving look. "That is confidential technology, Mister Arc." He didn't blink, looking at the man.

"I would assume that with the task that you have accepted, General James Ironwood, you might find that there is a certain truth to be found within the season of Fall."

The code was enough, as the man's eyes widened, Jaune's fingers brushing over his left ring finger, showing clearly the signal of the Fall Maiden, as she had learned from the great Headmaster Ozpin herself when she had been invested with the powers.

"Stop talking nonsense, Mister Arc."

There was a tone in Winter Schnee's voice that held distaste and dislike, as the stony-faced General looked at him with eyes that doubted. There was enough in that man's face to write a book on micro expressions, though the damage to the nerves from the attack that had taken his limbs was still severe.

"Specialist Schnee, let him talk... I wish to hear his words." The man was cautious, as Jaune smiled.

"Do call Professor Ozpin. It would be... rather unfortunate to have a moment alone with the Headmaster of another Academy and a General of a foreign Kingdom, without the Headmaster of my own school being present, yes?"

He watched James Ironwood sit, before the man pulled a Scroll out. A finger pressed on a button on the strange recording device.

"General James Ironwood, signing out in order to place a call of national security to Headmaster Ozpin of Beacon Academy."

Distaste was within the man's voice, as the call connected and the familiar face of the Headmaster came to the screen. "Good morning to you too, James... May I have the pleasure of knowing why you woke me up at four in the morning?"

"Mister Arc claims that you have introduced him to the works of Mister Branwen."

The General's voice was tense, as the man's mistrustful eyes went to him. Winter Schnee frowned and gave him an even dirtier look, as if he was something scraped from below her heel. Jaune could understand such mistrust, the Headmaster's serious face a testament to the feelings, as he nodded in confirmation.

"A certainty, yes..."

There was an audible groan coming from the speakers, even as something exploded in the background.

"OZPIN!"

Jaune gave no visible sign of outward distress as he heard the voice of Amber Autumn, the woman who had been imbued with the powers of the Fall Maiden, shout. There was a flash of lightning.

"I demand _answers!"_

"One moment, James."

The Headmaster shut the connection off, as the General looked faintly disturbed, closing his eyes. A deep sigh, coming from the man, as he motioned for Winter to get up.

"Do fetch Mister Arc something from the cafeteria, Specialist Schnee... It seems that we did not have all the facts and might have acted... hasty."

There was a tension in the General's voice, as the Specialist looked at her commander, a foul look given to him.

"As you wish, General. Arc, do you wish for anything in particular?"

He thought about it for a moment, before smiling at her like she was the kindest soul within the room.

"I would like some Atlesian waffles sprinkled with powdered sugar and a cup of strong coffee, please." He spoke at a tone that held smugness, as he looked at her.

"It's an honour to be served by the great Winter Schnee... My, you definitely do obey your father's wishes to bend the knee before me..."

It was mean-spirited, but he did not tolerate her actions and behaviour towards him or her mother. The look on her face was filled with an anger that she swallowed, as she exhaled. "By your leave, Sir?"

"Get the young man his waffles, Specialist Schnee."

The General said, the man's eyes looking at him with what might be a touch of chill... though hardly that mattered, as he looked at people with the same eyes regardless.

The moment that the door closed was the moment that the General leaned forward, making a motion to the people behind the mirror to vacate the premises. There was a look in those eyes now as the man let his gaze pierce into his own.

"What is your plan, Mister Arc?"

It was a question, one that he would not have an answer to if it had been months before. He looked into the man's eyes, a tension going through his body. "Ideally, or would you rather have the realistic definition, General?"

"Both." The man was nothing if not blunt, the charm left out. "You are in a precarious situation, Mister Arc. Your collusion with Sienna Khan has left us... worried."

"Ideally, I would like to graduate in three years before starting my life as a huntsman, with a family there to support through my work. Realistically... I hope to make it to my next year without some sort of catastrophe happening to the Kingdom that I love and care for."

The tension in his body slipped out, as he looked at the man's body language. There was no threat there to be found, yet he was on edge.

"What is your work for our society?"

A suspicious tone, showing that the man did not trust easily, nor did he consider the words that he spoke. Jaune knew that James Ironwood was noting every little expression on him, searching for the lies.

"I am sure that you may guess what the use for a seventeen-year-old Huntsman student can be, General Ironwood. Do you not use Specialist Schnee as the honey upon your trap?"

The words were neither confirming nor denying the actions taken, but they were vague enough to keep the man in the dark.

It had been murder, premeditated. It had been a sinful act, yet it was for the good of the world. "Specialist Schnee is not to be used in such a fashion." The man affirmed, as Jaune narrowed his eyes. It was an admission as much as a denial.

"So you were an infiltrator... And you have struck up a rapport with Sienna Khan?"

There was certainly some sort of rapport with Sienna Khan indeed, if the enthusiasm that she threw in their lovemaking was a good sign. It was something that defined Sienna, the passions that she showed.

"We are associates, yes. She is a moderating voice to the Faunus who desire to carve the hide of the Schnee with their names."

There was actually a friendship between Willow Schnee and Sienna Khan, but such information was useless in this battle with the General. One kept their aces up their sleeves and their trump cards safe.

"Intriguing... I did not suspect that Ozpin might have employed such means..." The General mused aloud, even as Jaune grimaced.

"Mister Branwen and I had a brief altercation at Beacon."

There was a nod from the man. It was clear that the incident had been reported to him. That weird transsexual clone of Yang's mom was... ech. Gross.

"It would not be overly suspicious, as I am-"

The man cut him off. It was clear that General Ironwood had been theorizing too much already. One of the man's flaws, which, if exploited, spelled his undoing.

"In a relationship with his niece, yes."

The man filled in, as Jaune felt the brief surge of amusement, showing nothing on his face. Yang was warmth and care, wrapped within a bundle of seriousness and teasing. She was like Sienna, close to him. She was like Willow, tight and warm, unwilling to let things slip.

"Specialist Schnee has reported on the closeness, as well as the encounter with Mister Branwen."

Jaune smiled, giving the image of someone who had been pleased that his information had been received well. A teenager, smug in the way that youth could be. The image that he presented to the man, knowing that the man would overthink every gesture.

"Specialist Schnee's distaste for me is personal, sadly. It appears that she does not approve of her younger sister's relationship with me."

A little bit of the truth, sprinkled with the lie. Weiss and him would never progress past friends, at least at this moment. Weiss was too immature, too childish and too stuck in her distaste of her mother to grow into the beautiful flower that she could be, given time.

"Given your association with Mister Branwen, I would like to think not."

The call sound came from the Scroll once more and Professor Ozpin came on the screen, Amber standing at his side, wearing his Atlesian-style clothing. The woman clearly had an issue with the larger clothing, as they fit her awkwardly.

"James, can you please release Mister Arc back within my custody... I am afraid that you might have overstepped your boundaries a little here, old friend."

The General's face did not twitch one bit, as he looked at the blonde subject of discussion.

"You could have informed me that he was Qrow's apprentice, Oz. I disapprove of the man, yet his methods are effective." That was more information than Jaune knew, though it was logical, given that Ruby wielded a scythe with a sniper rifle as well.

With James Ironwood's ability to be paranoid, he would connect dots with string where there was no need for string, making sure that there was enough to tie it all together in a way that the man would consider to be truthful and sane.

' _And that is why these subtle moves escape you, General Ironwood.'_

The Headmaster's face was passive, as the man regarded the General before smiling. "Not the... most creative of solutions, but it was a solution. The waste of life is always regrettable, but..."

"The sacrifice we bear for the Kingdom that we love and cherish, as well as those who we love, is worth any cost and any sacrifice."

The words had been spoken by the Headmaster upon the first conversation with Amber Autumn upon her selection as the Fall Maiden, and Jaune repeated them perfectly.

He saw Amber grin at Ozpin's side, her actions having created a connection for the Headmaster of Atlas Academy to see. It was familiar, as the words he had spoken were those of the Headmaster, who smiled indulgently. The man knew that there was power with him right now, but Amber would have impressed upon him the importance of this action, and the knowledge of such things would spur the man on to extend a protective arm in order to shield him from official prosecution.

"Wise words, Mister Arc."

The General spoke, before he looked at the Scroll. "Do tell me if you require something to be done about certain people, Oz. I do not like being left in the dark." The Headmaster's face showed little distress, as the man nodded to the camera on his Scroll.

"Of course, James. I will endeavour to make sure that all necessary actions are ran through the _wonderful_ detachment of the military that you have."

The General's face was stern, as he squared his shoulders, a reaction that seemed to be born from the nature of the man.

"The council has invested within me the power to ensure that the Vytal festival goes off without notable incidents, Oz. My hands are tied." The Headmaster's thin smile was not as friendly, Jaune noticed, his eyes closing for a moment.

"But I will send Mister Arc down once more, seeing as the situation has cleared up. Have you informed Leonardo yet?"

The Headmaster nodded. "Regrettable, indeed. The man seemed to be fearful of what the people of Mistral thought of such an action... But alas. Do send Mister Arc down, would you? I will ensure that there shall be a spare set of clothing available for him to look... somewhat more presentable. The students would not take kindly to an Atlesian soldier transport sending a battered student down after what appears to be an illegitimate abduction... His nose is still bloodied." There was a tone of teasing in the man's voice, the General shaking his head.

"I will arrange for an ensign's clothing to be made available. Mister Arc will be within the student body at dawn, I promise."

Jaune grinned, a few thoughts already working through his mind.

"I think a spare Atlas Academy uniform might be suitable, seeing as I hold no rank within the Atlesian military..."

The suggestion was accepted with a small grunt from the man.

"Specialist Schnee is fetching something for the young man to eat."

The General grimly gazed at the Headmaster as the man looked bemusedly, Amber clearing her throat.

"Do convey my thanks to him, Headmaster Ironwood. It is thanks to his actions that I have regained my freedom."

The words were a formality, yet they fostered goodwill with the General. Such goodwill was important, Jaune knew. It would determine whether he would be out here in shackles or not. The call was shut off after a small buzzer sounded, the General tucking the Scroll back into his pocket.

The door opened and Winter Schnee appeared, a cup of coffee in her hands, as well as a plate of waffles that were still hot, the sugar that topped them like a dusting of snow, the plate steaming still. "Your meal, Mister Arc..."

"My, I wasn't aware that there would be a beautiful woman added to the deal... Will you feed me, Specialist Schnee?"

The amusement in his eyes as he saw the woman's flare. "I mean, you did assault me during transport. It's only fair that I get some recompense..." The swift glance at the General was met with a barely perceivable twitch, as he knew that the man was gauging his actions through a different lens, measuring his reactions.

The murderous look that she gave him was unbecoming of a lady. Willow probably would have spanked her, if she was here, for looking like some hooligan. "Specialist Schnee?" The General said, the woman snapping to attention.

"Yes, General?" There was a smirk on the man's face.

"Do feed the young gentleman. You were responsible for his injuries, after all."

The look on her face was repressed, as she looked at the man before nodding, a shudder going through her.

The general rose, before bowing to him. "My apologies for the inconvenience, Mister Arc. I will look forward to seeing your performance in the Vytal Festival."The man made his way out, as Winter sat herself down, starting to cut the waffles. The look on her face was frostier than the Atlesian winter season.

He opened his mouth. She moved the fork and he plucked the piece of waffle off.

"Ahh... Delicious."

The murder in her gaze for this humiliation was more than plentiful, as the General had left. "A smaller piece, next time, Winter."He smiled broadly, as her expression turned even colder.

' _This is payback for what you made Willow feel, Winter...'_

He wasn't above a little bit of payback, after all...

Cinder Fall had tasted five rounds of it.

Another piece went in, as he smiled at her after pulling the piece off the fork with his lips.

"You'll make a fine housewife, Winter."

Another quiver of impotent rage, as he knew where to strike and where to hit for maximum effect, the woman cutting the waffle with some extra force, the knife in her hand ready to cut through his throat if he hadn't been protected by the orders of the General, undoubtedly. The surveillance system had undoubtedly activated with the General's departure.

Vengeance tasted sweet, just like these waffles. The stroopwafel kind was better, but those were best eaten freshly made. Cold they just didn't have that gooey syrupy texture that he liked.

He would be at Beacon again, soon. He would have to explain to the Headmaster about why he did what he did, but there was no fear in his heart. As he chewed on another piece of waffle, he knew that he had just won this dance of words and implications...

Taking a sip of coffee to wash the sweet taste down with something bitter, he let his gaze fall onto the Specialist's outfit. A smirk came to his face, as he knew that Winter Schnee was not the woman that her mother was, nor was she equal to Sienna Khan...

But she was stewing in her anger at being told to feed a teenager...

' _You reap what you sow, Winter...'_

Another bite, as the sweetness of the sugar-coated waffle mixed with the warmth of the coffee, as his eyes looked right into hers.

' _And I know one hell of a reaper...'_

* * *

She couldn't hide the wince as she stumbled back into her bedroom at three in the morning, throwing herself onto the bed with a loud 'fwump', rolling over onto her back and looking up at the ceiling. The dark feeling inside her chest was like a roaring beast, ravenously devouring her. An uncharacteristic bleakness, as she realized how far she had sunk, and the sudden ringing of her Scroll.

' _The first three melodies of the Winter Queen's Aria'_

It was a tune that hardly got used anymore, especially not in this capacity. It was something that she had set early in her youngest daughter's life, answering the call by opening it up.

"Hello, Weiss."

She felt tired. Her body ached and burned, her husband having shown his displeasure by bumping against her with a roughness that she was not used to. It had been a long day... Especially with the killing of three innocent Haven students that took place. They might have attracted the wrong kind of attention since Wind Path was in Mistral, but it still didn't require such brutality.

Her daughter's face was pale, looking at her with eyes that were almost desperate. "If you're coming to shout at me, please call back in the morning..." She felt so bad and so lonely. It made her want to drink, it made her want to get a bottle again and forget...

She wanted to be held, she wanted to curl up in her man's arms and hear him whisper in her ear that everything was going to be fine again. The need of her body were secondary to that feeling of protection that she felt she needed to get, yet her vows...

Those got in the way. If she had followed the feelings of her body, Jaune Arc would have been hers and she would have broken the vows of a mother and wife. Winter, Weiss and Whitley did not deserve a mother who broke the vows to their father...

"Mother, it's my f- the boy I like. He's been arrested by the Atlas Military."

That woke her up. Her eyes narrowed, as she straightened up immediately. She knew about who this conversation was going to go. "Please, mother, make sure that you do something! I'm... I'm... I'll..." She watched her daughter flounder.

"Weiss, I-"

Her daughter cut her off once more, rudely. Willow frowned briefly, as her mind already was working to get the details straight.

"I'll spend time with you... We can go to a spa, we can... Whatever you want, just please... Please... Help him. They've got him on... Whatever it is, Winter was there and there was... Can't you get the legal team on the case? Father wouldn't... he'd..."

She saw the panic in her daughter's eyes. Weiss would be wed off to some buffoon twice her age with no difficulty if it was up to Jacques. Luckily, the law of Atlas stipulated that people below the age of eighteen were still required to have the permission of both parents in signed forms before they could marry anyone.

"It's going to be okay..." She promised her daughter, offering a smile.

"Mister Arc will be safe and sound, even if I have to sue the entirety of the Atlesian Military forces for the abduction of a student from the Academy he studies at."

The smile on her daughter's face warmed her a little, as she felt that heat settle in her chest. "Thank you, mama." She smiled back gently.

"I love you, my little songbird."

It was not a nickname that she'd used much, but it fit. A little songbird, captive within a cage, one made of gold and riches... Yet not free to fly.

She cut the call off, dialling the Schnee Dust Company legal team. Jacques would undoubtedly hear of it as well, but she could spin this as 'good publicity' easily. A daughter who requested their mother to assist the boy she liked... And it so happened that it was the same man that Willow herself enjoyed the company of...

' _Let's see what you have to bring against this, James...'_

"Hello, Ernest? I've got quite the case for you... Are you ready to ruin General Ironwood's morning?"

It was going to be amusing to see the small army of Schnee Dust Company legal representatives march down to the government to see justice done...

' _Sometimes... You should just say 'Screw the rules, for I have money' to get what you want...'_

She did hope that everything would be in order and that there had been no unfortunate happenings with Jaune...

It would be quite financially damaging for the Atlas Military if it did occur that the prisoner was mistreated...

' _Yes... I do suspect that Jaune will be free as a bird soon. After all, the General has shown a vested interest in the young man...'_

* * *

 **Another chapter. Schneenanigans!**

 **You may notice that there was collusion! NOT WITH RUSSIA!**

 **Leave a review! I like seeing people's thoughts and such on the stuff that I write.**


	37. Step up

**Chapter 37: Step up**

 **Another chapter, another moment to throw rotten tomatoes at me.**

* * *

He stepped down onto the soil of Beacon Academy once more after they had sent him down, Winter having booked a hasty retreat once he had properly been fed, her eyes blazing and promising retribution. The uniform of Atlas Academy fit him well, as it'd been sent as a replacement for the pyjamas that he wore. The morning hour was still fresh, even with his eyes spotting Amber and Professor Ozpin standing there. Amber's broad grin was visible, as his escorts returned to the craft.

"Quite the morning, Mister Arc."

The Headmaster said, as Amber's grin widened even more. He could see her amusement at something. "Do come with me to my office to explain how this state of events happened…" The man's eyes were amused at the thought, he could tell by the small crinkles below the eyes, his gaze drawn to him.

"and well, your decision to transfer to Atlas will be decided later."Jaune grimaced at that last comment. The uniform was at least better than his pyjamas. The sparkle in the headmaster's eyes was enough to show that he was joking, but that didn't mean he liked the Atlas Academy uniform much.

"Can you take this to my dorm?"

He asked Amber, handing her the bag in which his pyjamas had been put, the Fall Maiden giving him a smile before she leaned forwards and kissed his cheek.

"It's okay. I've spoken with Ozpin. And no… I'll be coming along with you."

The words offered some comfort, knowing that Amber would have explained things to the headmaster in a way that the man would be able to theorize. Amber herself had always enjoyed a touch of truth with a hint of a lie, so it wasn't unreasonable to surmise that the woman might've merely bust the door down to make a point… Thought it did look reasonable to him.

"Good… Then we best hurry."

The smirk on her face was one that Sienna might have, as she winked at him.

"Professor Ozpin, is that…"

Glynda Goodwitch inquired, as they passed her by, the woman giving him another once-over, her lips pressed tightly together.

"A good associate of mine, who wishes to aid the preparations of the Vytal festival…"

The woman gave him a specific look. "And mister Arc, who was taken in by Headmaster Ironwood for a brief meeting without consulting my office. A mix-up, or so I have been informed." The disciplinarian woman's face looked at him with a frown, her body language shifting to annoyance. It was easy to read too, as her hips swayed slightly.

"My… I do believe that I shall be joining you, Headmaster. Such a matter of discipline is… Unusual."

Amber's smile grew larger, as her attention went to him. Her face was free of blemishes, he knew, but it would be usual for her to remain restrained in her manner of speaking.

"Unusual perhaps, Miss Goodwitch, yet I do find that the young man has merits. Why, I would imagine that he is a bigger man than the General."

The waggle with the eyebrows was enough for Glynda Goodwitch to fix the woman with a look that could shatter stone. It could melt it too, if the intense green eyes were accurate enough in the glare.

"I find that to be a dubious suggestion, Miss Autumn."

The pointed tone that the blonde teacher gave to Amber only seemed to invigorate the other woman's enthusiasm.

' _She had a habit of being willing to poke a Wyvern…'_

"Well, if you ever want a live demonstration… Better get him in _detention_ , Miss Goodwitch…"

He could see Professor Ozpin's uncomfortable look, the man's eyes meeting his for a moment. "Give him a _long_ and _strenuous_ physical…"

"Professionalism is a must, Miss Autumn. Perhaps you have left it upon the nearest street corner, together with the others of your ilk?"

Jaune winced, as the green eyes of the teacher met his. A smile that would be much more suited on a Beowolf was on the woman's lips, as those eyes promised ill tidings to him. "Mister Arc would not be so crude as to entertain fantasies as such… _right?_ "

"No, I'm pretty well-accounted for as far as sex goes. No need to add another blonde to the list."

The look that she gave him was chilly, and he felt someone grab his groin in a grip that was like some sort of maw closing around it. The purple glow around her increased, and the pressure mounted. A cruel sadistic smile settled on the woman's face.

"It would be a shame…"

She released the pressure and he felt relief flood his senses, as well as the blood returning after that sharp pinch.

"Children like you are not truly mature enough yet to appreciate the wonders of adulthood. Unless you'd like to prove me wrong, Mister Arc?"

' _WAS THAT A FLIRT?!'_

Against all rational sense, despite all of his mental conditioning, the confident grin settled on his face. "Oh, I'll say that I'm hardly a child where it counts. Just ask my girlfriend." He supposed that Sienna _was_ his girlfriend.

"I'm sure that miss Xiao-Long would scarcely be able to entertain me with the tales of your unimpressive masculinity…"

He saw Professor Ozpin sigh deeply. He felt a stab of pity for the man. He had to deal with Goodwitch on a daily basis.

"Sienna wasn't complaining about it. She looked ready to tear Ironwood's throat out because we had to stop."

The blink that Professor Goodwitch made was damning, as she looked at him with a look that was hard to decipher.

"With her? My… You do seem to be more of a man than I previously had imagined. That woman is vicious…"

The words were calm, yet he felt ghostly hands pat over his body. "Though that makes a woman wonder…"

"What is it about you that attracts the women to you?"

There was a squeezing sensation, as the woman looked down at him over her glasses, those eyes holding nothing but the strength of will of a mature woman who was an educator… But it was hardly something that he noticed.

"Charisma and probably a whole lot of bad taste that most people find utterly adorable."

He joked, the grip released. He adjusted the pants a little. The uniform wasn't that great. Beacon's allowed a little more room in the hips.

"I see… Do let us continue then."

The early hour was still the reason why few students were out and about, as the morning had only briefly begun, the clock reading an early six thirty in the morning.

Once they were in the headmaster's office, Amber gave a little grin and wink before she planted herself onto the desk. She took a moment to adjust herself, spreading her legs a touch unlady-like, her eyes glinting.

"Jaune here managed to get my little sleepy ass back in working order."

The statement was met with a punctuated glare from the blonde deputy to Ozpin, who looked at him with a look that could burn through steel.

"He's more or less responsible for the death of those students, yes. The moment that the bitch's head popped, I got back most of my faculties… And damn nice faculties they are, yes."

She puffed her chest out, giving Professor Goodwitch a daring look. "Jealous, Glyn?"

"Who would be jealous of a woman who only has one good trait?"

The snarky comeback was enough to make his opinion on the stern educator change slightly, the catty manner in which the woman glared at the dark-skinned Fall maiden, whose beaming smile was no doubt another provocation.

"Someone who can't get a guy, or did you forget what you did during my third year?" The look on the blonde educator's face turned sterner. "Oh, please do stay behind for… private lessons. If he hadn't been with Marnier, your predatory ass would've been humping that darn fine man like it was no tomorrow!"

"Insinuating that I would lay a hand on my students is beyond the bounds of decency, or do I need to remind you of the time when you were caught flashing the whole cafeteria after lunch?! Peter never was able to look you in the eye anymore after that debacle!"

The blasé manner in which the woman shrugged off the commentary was a sign that there definitely was a history between the two women.

"He liked it! I've got a very nice set of breasts, though you'd never show yours! Who was it that wore her teacher outfit to the beaches of Sanus, huh? You! I had the grace and time to make sure that I looked like I'd need a whole bucketful of mancream on me, whilst you were being prim and proper Glynda Goodbitch, looking disapprovingly when we were just having a bit of fun."

"I call that 'attempting to have an orgy whilst the civilians you were supposed to protect were nearby, Miss Autumn.'." The dismissive shake of the Fall Maiden's head was just something that came with the territory. Jaune looked at Professor Ozpin, who shrugged.

"Nobody was harmed! You squawked like a prudish virgin too!"

Jaune briefly wondered whether the blonde woman was still a virgin, before that thought was banished. That was getting too close to the subject of seeing his teacher as a sexual person and that might just be a touch too far. It'd be unethical for her too, he added as an afterthought.

"Glynda, Amber… Do remember why we came here…"

Professor Ozpin settled himself in his seat, Amber obscuring the man from sight.

"Mister Arc, you are aware that your behaviour might have consequences for your future career, yes?"

He knew that it might have some effect, but if you did not support the mineshaft with beams, you had the whole mine coming down on you. "Sometimes, for people to live in safety, sacrifices must be made." The words were drawn from Amber's memories, the headmaster looking at him with something akin to consideration, doubt and something more.

"A very classical saying, Mister Arc."

The feeling in his heart did not fade, as he looked at the man.

"I suppose I could say something about your own classical leanings, Headmaster."

He straightened his shoulders. "Who was it who forged an empire together with his wife?" The man's face furrowed, before his eyes went to Amber and then to him. Amber looked as mystified as the man did, giving him a curious expression.

"Oh, you saw that, did you?"

The nod that he gave was enough. He supposed that it would be for the best not to further mention it. "It was a time upon which we were… less united." Jaune supposed that being married to a woman who looked that scary might sour people to such a thing.

"He assassinated three students! They should have been brought in by specialists, not a seventeen year old student with… whatever he used."

Professor Goodwitch's voice was a little tense, letting show her care for the other students, one of her traits that had remained consistent, no matter Amber's teasing.

"Do you really think that Salem would just allow her Maiden to be taken? That woman has a heart of ice and a revenge craving like a mom on her eighth month." The words were calm, as he spoke the ex-wife's name, her eyes looking dubious for a moment, emerald chips of green looking at him.

"I would have assisted." There was a snort, though it wasn't sure whether it had been him or Amber.

"And you would have died. The Maiden power isn't something that most mortals can wield. Ever since he started reincarnating, Salem's power has remained consistent. If she had been empowered by that woman, you can bet your nice and firm ass that you'd be having your heart carved out by that woman before you could say 'Pina Coladas at Vale General Hospital'." The woman's cheeks flushed red, as she opened her mouth to retort to Amber.

"That would indeed be the case, yes. Even I would not easily be able to stand up against the power of the Fall Maiden."

Jaune wanted to comment on that, but he didn't think that it would be received well. He knew that he had some cards left to play, and with his relationship to Sienna in the open… well, there would be some deflection that he could run.

"Mister Arc… I would like to extend an offer for you to join our illustrious circle…"

The man's offer was nice, but he knew that it would get him into contact with the people who would be objecting to his presence there.

"I will have to refuse that offer, Headmaster." He shook his head. The offer was appealing in the way that it would connect him with the major players in the world, but the feelings that he held for Sienna were simply too much to deny out of hand. She was one of the people who had been in his thoughts, she had been the woman who had taken his virginity and had made love to him in her own way.

"I'm seventeen. That I have a faint recollection of what has happened to someone who was in the know doesn't make it right for me to join a society of people who are both older than me as well as fully graduated. That'd be like... I don't know, me asking out Professor Goodwitch for a date with some sort of expectation that we'd be having sex afterwards and being a dreadful bore."

It was an example that Amber would've used, a thing that he only noticed when she started to snicker, the look on his Professor's face turning sharper. The Goodwitch Glare was directed at him now.

"I would assume that you would at the very least be a modest conversation partner, Mister Arc. Do not assume that I am easy to beguile into bed with you."

He looked at her and the smile of a queen bitch from some sort of dark and spooky place came to her face. He wondered at that point whether she was seriously considering it, if she had said 'beguile into bed with you' in any sort of serious manner. Amber looked a little awkward too.

"You may join me at eight in detention for attempting to seduce your educator. Bring decent clothing."

His mouth fell open, as Amber gave a groan. "This is punishment, isn't it? Eesh, Glynda Bitchwitch, you can't take a joke, can you?" The woman gave her fellow member of the Ozpinati a look that might be cruel, as her lips flashed into what might be the meanest smile that he'd seen on her face.

"Oh, since you offered the suggestion..."

The woman strode forward, placing a hand on his shoulder, at the base of his neck, sliding a long finger up his neck. "It would be such a shame to let the man suffer..." She slid the finger over his neck, her eyes looking into his own.

A squeeze of his groin came, as the finger slid up, a smug grin on her face. "such an indignation. He has to serve detention, right?"

Sienna better not find out about this, or there'd be blood. Professor Goodwitch took a few steps from him, her head turning to Professor Ozpin, whose eyes looked a touch amused at the sight of such an act, and then to Amber, who still stared.

"Hey! His girlfriend's going to whack your ass back and forth from Vale to Beacon."The protest was feeble, as Glynda smirked like the canary who used a machine gun on the cat.

"Detention isn't illegal, Miss Autumn... Or perhaps, if you thought that I had nefarious intent..." The caress of a ghostly finger that slid over his stomach, drawing a little circle. This was both hot and scary, as the green eyes fixed the woman with an irate look.

"I mean, you did such a wonderful performance of what it was like to show your goods to the world..."

He remembered that from Amber's memories. It had been a dare and she'd made some damn good Lien from it. It had been before she had been subjected to the Maiden's memories that had come with the powers that accompanied it.

"I'll... eh... I'll have to pass on the offer, Miss Goodwitch. You're not quite first in line for that type of thing."

He knew that Willow would have a comment to make about that too. The thought of that woman making sure that her displeasure was well-recorded was something that drew a smile to his lips.

Yang would probably say something about that as well, if she served detention with Goodwitch as well. The woman's lips pressed together thinly.

"Do not consider it a date, Mister Arc... I know you and Miss Xiao-Long are definitely doing some illicit things."

Headmaster Ozpin coughed once more, to get the conversation back on track. He knew that the man probably was amused by these developments, as he fixed him with a look.

"Could you inform Sienna Khan that I would like to meet with her? I hope that something can be forged together, in order to reconcile the Faunus and Humanity to a shared destiny."

He supposed that it was the easiest thing to do at this moment. "Eh, did you get my Scroll?" Amber pulled it out of a pocket of her cloak, handing it to him.

He pressed the button for calling, connecting to Sienna in a moment's time, the camera activating for a moment and a drowsy-looking Sienna giving him a look, her hair messed up. "Good morning, good-looking. I'm going to fuck you like it's mating season and I've had a dry spell of a decade, you sexy creature... Fuck, I am going to make sure that Eve joins in too and we're going to-"

Sienna's eyes noticed the stern-faced Glynda Goodwitch out of a corner of her eye, straightening up a touch at the words that she'd just thrown out. "Oh? Is this some sort of official inquiry?" The switch between casual and professional was enough, as he was treated to a look of the bedroom that Sienna had at her disposal. He'd never really been around her personal residence, so he didn't know, but it was clear that the place was well-stocked.

"Well, they sort of caught me because I made a bad lady go pop." The snicker that came from Sienna's mouth was loud, as she agreed with the sentiment.

"And damn right you were. I'd have given her a chainsaw deepthroat myself, but fuck it if the bitch didn't deserve it. So, Ozpin caught on?" The crass language was no doubt her own frustration and the early hour, but Ozpin spoke up nevertheless.

"Despite our misgivings, it was actually Headmaster Ironwood who placed Mister Arc under arrest. I only found out that the two of you had entered a relationship of sorts today... Understandable, given the tensions."

The brusque snort that Sienna gave through the speakers and the savage grin on her face was enough to say that Sienna was going to be pure Sienna for the rest of this conversation.

"You could call it a relationship, yeah... He's my bitch."

He didn't comment on that. She made it sound like she was the one in control, whilst it was more the opposite. She surrendered the control, whenever they did it.

"If you've got a problem, take it up with me and the legal team. Irondick's gone too far though... I told him to shit in his own litter box when he pulled me in for questions... Fuck."

That was a sign that Sienna wasn't in a great state of mind right now, as she got up from her bed. A delightful sight of skin and a set of breasts that bounced somewhat was seen, as she started to get herself ready for her day.

"He'll be hearing from me. I'm going to tear his asshole out and then salt it and shove it back through his mouth..."

The crass language, spoken in the semi-private setting, was so Sienna that he didn't even blink. He could see a light smile tease along Professor Goodwitch's face, as she turned away. Her shoulders shook, softly, as if she were laughing at that image.

"Anything else, Ozpin?"The man shook his head. "Now, Jaune, I am going to be busy shining that boot up for Irondick's little tush, so you stay out of trouble and if you need me... Give me a call. Eve said that she'd like to meet with you today, so make it so, or else I'll be sending her straight to Beacon."

It was Sienna's own habit that usually featured when she was passionate about something, as she smirked, the call shut down. "She was almost friendly there..." Professor Ozpin mumbled, shaking his head. Jaune looked at the man for a moment. Sienna was always a bit abrasive, but she meant well.

"She stresses, when she needs to. Seeing that I'm safe... Probably made things a little bit better. She's..."

He smiled at the thought of Sienna being stressed out because of him. She cared, or else she wouldn't be so affectionate.

"Love is a mysterious thing, Mister Arc..."

The man said, Jaune feeling the sentiment, as he looked at Amber. "Miss Autumn, I would like it if you were to act as an assistant teacher... I am sure that Professor Port would love to have his old student return..."

"That old windbag never can look me in the eye. If I have to listen to one more bloody tale about his uncle who smelled of cabbages doing something, I will make sure that he'll be seeing my tits everywhere!" Professor Goodwitch did not seem to agree with that sentiment, as she turned around to her new colleague.

"You will _not_ show your breasts like some slave to the whims of a diseased squirrel! You will conduct yourself in the manner that a member of staff will do or I swear to the brother gods that I will bounce you like a ball through the whole academy and back again."

The irate words sounded almost comical, but the woman's tone was deadly serious, he'd noticed as much when the glow started to wrap around random items in the room, levitating with a light bob.

"You always spoil the fun, you uppity blonde! Live a little! Show some skin! SHOW THOSE TITS YOU KEEP HIDING! THOSE DOUBLE G'S NEED SUNLIGHT!"

The Fall Maiden taunted, and was promptly levitated up into the air, forced against the ground. It reminded him a little of how he had fought against the woman.

"It is important to ensure that the enemy is properly immobilized, Mister Arc. In the case of a live capture, one does wish to disable the body before ensuring that the arms are properly tied."

Amber tried to get up, power wrapping around her, but the Semblance raised her up, breaking her concentration. A gust of wind blew through his hair, his eyes watching, as Glynda approached the Fall Maiden.

"You will obey, Amber Autumn. I did not teach you for four years to see my work wasted and finding you with another of your male companions in my bedroom."

The grin on Amber's face showed that it had been completely intentional on her part, and Glynda Goodwitch's face seemed to harden and firm up, her eyes blazing with irritation.

"They offered you a spot in the middle, Glyn! It'd be fun to see you dual-wield-ERK!"

The slam of the Fall Maiden to the ground was loud, and Jaune looked askance at the headmaster, who motioned for the elevator. They decided to evacuate, the headmaster's eyes dark and shrouded. The sound of shouts from behind them was growing louder.

"You have given a great boon to our cause, Mister Arc... It would have been hard to rouse the Fall Maiden from her coma... albeit her aggression towards my deputy is not something that is easily swept aside. Sienna Khan, being willing to engage in talks is also a benefit... Although I will comment on your choice of friends being one of the older variety." The man's smile was paternal, almost like his father's would have been, had the man still been alive to give it.

"I wasn't the one who made four children with someone who'd been alone for millennia, Professor. You've got me beat there..." The man's grimace as well as the sigh that followed after it was telling, as the man turned his gaze away.

"We had hoped for peace... But that turned out to be a lie." The man's fingers pressed a button and the elevator stopped, the look on his face serious. "Mister Arc..."

"Can I trust you?"

The question made him seriously regard the man, his own expression turning more serious as a result. The man's face looked weary and tired, as the old professor's features lightened and the facial features changed with a light flash. The man looked much like the wizard who had given the power to the four maidens, an illusion conjured up.

"As far as you can trust a seventeen-year-old."

He said in return, the man's lips twitching into a smile. It was an answer that a mouthy young woman had given to the man ages before, a call-back to the past that had been.

"I hope that you will continue your efforts to ensure the safety of Remnant. Sienna Khan as of this moment, is one of the people who can make a change for the society at large. If you go public with your relationship it could lead to wide-spread approval for the Faunus."

The man was hopeful, his eyes still yearning for that peace that had been denied to him before.

"I believe you can be trusted more than your former wife, sir."

The words were curt and short, with the knowledge that the man would understand the meaning of them. "I want to live my life, marry the woman I love, have children and make sure that they'll know that I am their father and never going to abandon them."

"You are aware of the F Positive blood type, Mister Arc?"

The man said, and he nodded.

"My sister had..." He turned his head, sighing. "I think her baby had that blood type. We had to abort it because we couldn't make it with the funds... Her boyfriend ran off."

"It is the marker for Faunus, officially known as F Positive. Interspecies couplings can only produce Faunus children, due to some quirk of Faunus biology."

The thought was not a bad one. "It's not my place to comment on your preferences or your relationship, but as someone who, hopefully, has your trust, I thought it prudent to inform you that there will be no human children from your union with Miss Khan."

It wasn't a thought in his mind yet. He was... he wasn't sure whether Sienna wanted k- well, she wasn't shy about announcing her desires, so he didn't know. She had said that she was on the contraceptive pill, so there would be no children yet.

Willow's face came to his mind then, knowing that the woman had three children of her own and a really mouthy brat of a daughter. Winter Schnee hadn't been a kind guide through his time in custody and generally in person, so it made sense... But the thought of a baby with Willow...

That was a nice thought. He wasn't sure whether she fully felt the same deep passion that he felt, but the thought was nice.

Yang was another option... But he wasn't sure whether her teasing was genuine enough. "I'm not sure... She's got her career to think about..." There was of course plenty to say about his options, especially in their varied temperaments. Sienna was the flame of passion and animalistic urge, Willow was the cold frozen lake with the tendrils of teasing... whilst Yang was like the blazing sun, making people feel warm inside.

"I thought I should tell you about it, either way. Consider it... informational."

The man looked a touch guilty for speaking about something that might be too intimate. "Your father was a good man. It is a pity that he died... He would have been proud of you."

Jaune's gaze turned away from the headmaster, a deep sigh coming from his lips. He wouldn't show emotion, even though he wanted to mourn the man's passing. He knew that the man had been familiar with his father, having heard a lot of good things about being a Huntsman from his father. "I know. We didn't agree on much, but..."

"He loved you and your sisters. I felt regret when I heard that he had passed."

The man's voice was morose, as Jaune sighed. The case of his father had been open and shut. The Grimm came, he had fought. They had been destroyed and his father had been a casualty. It had saved people... Or so he had been told.

"I cannot change the past."

Jaune said, as he felt the weight rest on his back. "But I can change the future through my actions in the present." A saying that he knew to be his father's. The Headmaster smiled, sadly.

"A good man. Now, I must release you unto the flock of students, even whilst wearing an Atlas uniform..."

The man pressed the button once more, the elevator continuing. Jaune just hoped that Professor Goodwitch and Amber got their issues settled...

That woman had flirted with him. Oh gods...

' _It must be either the luck or the devil or...'_

He shivered. He had thought of the man's ex-wife, in all her radiant glory. There was just something within those eyes that told him that the woman would see him dead and ruined... and that had been the spectral memory of the one who had been the Maiden of Fall before.

' _Or there might've been a truth to Saphron telling me that girls just love a man who can dance, cook and clean...'_

Now, he had a team to make happier through the act of apologizing with some home-made breakfast...

* * *

She let her body crawl up from the comfortable nest she'd made in her bed, the tinkling of the Scroll enough to rouse her properly. The Death March played, a sure sign that her husband was calling. Not the most wholesome of thoughts flashed through her mind, as she picked the Scroll up and then allowed herself a brief ring, before the call was answered.

"Why are we engaging the Atlas Military in the court of law, woman? Have you gone even crazier than before, woman?"

Her husband's angry tones were like music to her ears... music that was played by a musician with little talent. She hoped that Jaune would be able to get lessons in music that would fit, properly at this point.

"Husband, it was at the request of your youngest daughter that I informed our dear legal department that a person of interest had been abducted... You do wish to have Mister Arc under contract, did you not?" The man's face looked pensive on the video call for a moment, before he nodded.

"It seems Weiss did as was asked. Good. I will have to congratulate her on a job well done... Once the rebelliousness is quashed, she will make a fine wife to Marigold's youngest son. They would not mind that she has been soiled. It happens, teenagers will be teenagers."

A grimace came to her face. Her daughter could decide for herself who she would marry, in her opinion. Her Weiss was as pristine as snow, no matter what sort of kinky antics she got up to in the bedroom.

"I am sure that the young man would be a decent partner for someone... Our daughter should have the freedom to choose, don't you think?"

The man's frown showed that it had been a question that had been asked that breached his principles. She sighed briefly, mentally re-arranging the field on which she played the game of chess with her husband.

"She will do as I tell her to. It is a pity that Winter is under the Military contract, or else she would have been the perfect fit. A good obedient soldier never questions the orders once given." The look on her face was dark, as she frowned, her eyes looking into her husband's cold ones.

"Mister Arc will certainly be more amenable to talks with us once our legal department springs him from unlawful imprisonment..."

The words were to mollify her husband, knowing that the man would look at the profits of such a move. Illegal detention of a student was not a subject that many courts would burn their hands on, but if the Schnee Dust Company took offense... Well...

"Indeed. You may have failed as a woman, but the insight of the daughter you bore might redeem you somewhat. We may have relations tonight." Her lips thinly pressed together, as her head turned to the side.

"I have a previous engagement, husband... and I do not think that such a thing would be necessary. After all, I have been told to spread my legs for a young man... it would be awfully rude to come to him with your generous donation dripping from between my thighs..." This was the limit of sarcasm that she was allowed to get away with, based on previous interaction with her husband.

The man was as cold as ice, desiring nothing but the profit that the company could bring him, a leech of a different name and with little enjoyment for the pleasures of the flesh. The man's face did not change, as he looked at her.

"Indeed... It would be a touch uncultured. Do ensure that you wash, woman. Your tendency to throw up is like a lure for maggots."

She wanted to throw the Scroll at the wall for that comment. She _washed_! That he'd not had the fine art of eating a woman's snatch under control was no fault of hers! She had thought it amusing, feigning pleasure, but it had done little for her. Faking an orgasm had become a mandatory skill.

"I will wash myself, _dearest_ husband."

Her voice was cool, as his voice had been too. "Do not worry... I am sure Mister Arc would just love to have a woman's attention after the harrowing affair... How about I ensure that he signs for the underwear line that will be coming out in the fall?"

A pursing of her husband's lips, a closing of his eyes, as he calculated the profit margins. "Get his signature and I will grant you some permissions to-" She tuned him out, knowing that he was talking about the financials. Sure, she nominally owned the company, being the prime inheritor, but he still controlled the company. The fetching of the rifle prototype had been done under the radar of the development wing, but the promise that her husband had made was something that seemed to come with a few hooks.

' _How I wish I could drop this facade...'_

"Ensure that he signs, woman."

She smiled, knowing that the man meant nothing but the profits...

"I'll attempt to convince him, _dearest_ husband."

Her eyes blazed, as she felt the anger surge inside her. The man's heart was not swayed by her anymore... But the profits swayed his temper. He had dared to whore her out like some common tramp, some common beast that was to be rented, like her life had less value than a teenager's ejaculation...

' _If I did not hold my vows as a mother so highly, I would be showing you the sign of another man claiming your wife, Jacques Gele. I swore to myself that I would make sure that Weiss and Winter and Whitley have the best mother that they would have and adultery is not a trait that a mother has.'_

She wished that she was not married, but her husband's control over the funds and the financial department was something that she could not easily wrench free. The man had been too entrenched within the system, too closely allied to the movers and shakers of the Atlesian business world.

She couldn't just divorce him... No, it would need to be done through some subtle means rather than the dissolution of the marriage. He technically was still the CEO, so he would be able to drain the funds immediately with a single order. The marriage had to look perfect...

But that didn't mean that she couldn't fantasize. She wanted to feel a man's strong arms around her, holding her with a grip that had been trained by the test of combat, calluses touching over her skin. A delicate touch to her bosom, to be met by a passionate plea for more.

"I will see you after breakfast, Husband."

Her voice was tense, as she shut the call off. Her mood was starting to improve, and she hoped that it would remain like this for the foreseeable future, knowing that her husband was just going to be a greater bother.

' _Now... There was a brief thought of myself within the young man's arms...'_

She might have to check with Sienna about the availability... She'd be a good girlfriend. Surely she could lend her man for a few nights...

' _Oh, and if there is a hint of cum dripping down my thighs when I meet with my husband... well... He did say that I should use every measure available...'_

Fuck. She needed a good hard stiff shaft to ride. She was a woman with _needs_! At least she wasn't one of those types who had to use male phallic mimicry pleasure devices! Those were for losers!

Elsewhere, Sienna sneezed rather loudly, head butting her assistant.

* * *

Jaune regarded his reflection in the mirror of the public bathroom that he'd ducked in, his hair slicked back with some water and a comb. It was growing longer, so he'd have to get something done about it. He couldn't just go to his sisters and ask for a haircut... They'd make him get the pigtails again... That had been embarrassing.

He emerged, taking the time to straighten himself out and travel down the path, towards where Eve Taurus was waiting. The woman had sent him a location and a time, telling him to be there. A long stretch of spacious path had been laid out alongside Vale General Park, benches located at spots for people to look at the beauty of nature, well-maintained by the small army of gardeners that busied their craft in the comfort of the day.

The redheaded cow Faunus looked at ease, her eyes half-way closed, the set of sunshades that she wore perched on her nose, her imposing chest sticking out with a white shirt covering the mammaries up, a bold **Mega Milk Jugs** stamped on the front, her eyes opening up behind the shades as he came closer. The staff that had been set beside her was in her grip suddenly, as her eyes watched him, following him.

"Hey Eve, how-"

She swept the staff out, a low blow that went for his feet. He dodged, making sure that it went under his feet, her body in motion, her fingers swiping for his face. His hand grabbed a hold of her arm, blocking the raising staff with his leg, before she swept back.

"Prove yourself to me."

The voice that she spoke with was thick with some sort of sensation that seemed to be... off, her eyes still hidden behind the shades that she wore, her lips pulled back, revealing perfect teeth, her eyes looking into his own as she leapt at him, the staff's motion through the air creating a whistling sound, as he dodged to the side, using his feet to kick off, keeping himself out of the reach of the weapon, as she body-checked him.

He felt unbalanced as she was up against him, her hand letting go of the staff, going for a punch. He blocked the punch, grabbing a hold of her shirt and then throwing her, the body crashing to the ground and rolling back up. The shirt was stretched, a tear running down the front, as she got up again, her hand adjusting the shades that she wore.

"Come on... Come on..."

There was a tension in her voice, a maddened tension that seemed to be there in her stance, as she leapt at him, her hand grabbing a hold of his shirt and throwing him, even as he braced himself, his body landing, rolling with the motion and then getting up again, his stance kept low.

"Show me..."

The woman's voice was low, her eyes directed at him undoubtedly, though the sunglasses kept the gaze out of his sight. He circled, as she circled, her body doing small feints to which he responded. It was his attention that was on her, and her attention that was on him.

She charged, and he met that charge. His arms wrapped around her, as her arms were raised, to deliver a hammer-blow down onto his face, his arms locking tightly as he headbutted her, just as a bull might headbutt at a fence-post. He had no horns, but he could feel the air escape her lungs, raising her up and then throwing her once more.

She slowly got up again, her sunglasses smashed and a lacy blue bra visible below the shirt, which had been ripped. Her head was half-tilted to the side, as blue eyes met with his own, a scuffmark on her cheek, a savage grin on her face.

"Come on..."

Her voice was huskier, deeper, as her body moved. His hand moved before he had even intended to, a punch delivered with his full force to her gut, as she doubled over, as hacking cough-splutter, as she slackened a little.

He didn't know what had brought on this sudden attack, but the woman collapsed after having her gut punched, her body laid on the side. Her eyes looked at him, as she fought to get breath back into her lungs, laid out there like someone who'd opted for the wrong side.

"What's this all about, Eve?"

Her breathing stabilized whilst she got up slowly, a grin on her face that seemed to be almost like Adam's own before he'd had his medication to even out his mood swings.

"Wonderful... Good, good..."

Her arms wrapped around his neck, the smaller form that she had still swifter than his response time, as her lips pressed against his own, a surprise kiss that lasted, her tongue pushing past his slack lips, as she kissed him.

He was dimly aware of someone asking whether they were alright, but Eve broke the kiss. "That's a good boy..." Her eyes went to the person who had inquired, an uniformed officer of the Vale Police force standing there with a look of mild authority on his face. An older man, with a bushy moustache of pepper-and-salt colour, the name tag calling him 'Officer Lumley'.

"Just a bit of an over-eager girlfriend and her boyfriend, officer."

The grin on her face was natural for an actress, as he coughed a little.

"Huntsman stuff... Yeah. She's the strong one."

He knew that she might've just tested him, and he'd passed that test.

"As long as there's no property damage... Do keep your eh... expressions of love in check, please."

The man continued along after assuring himself that there was no cause for police involvement, Eve tucking her tit back into her shirt.

"Now, handsome..."

A sultry tone of voice, as Eve leaned closer. "I've got some words for you for taming the big bad Khan..."

He wondered whether the kiss had been impromptu or not, or whether she'd set it up, as Eve sat down on the bench again, her weapon put at her side, her hand patting the seat next to her.

"I don't bite, sweetheart... That's what I've got you for, darlin'. Bite me and fuck me like you mean it."

A scandalized mother gave her a dirty look, Eve giving a devil-may-care grin back and a little lick over her lips. The mother sped up a little, muttering about reprobates and devil worship. "Now... We need to have a wee lil' chat, sweetheart..." Her hand fell into his lap, fingers diving down, tracing over his groin, a long finger tracing up and down over his groin.

"You've claimed the Khan..."

He had. Sienna was enthusiastic. She was passionate and she was... Eve was currently sliding her hand down into his pants, his hand grabbing her hand and jerking it out. He gave her a look, which was replaced with a sultry little waggle of her tongue.

"How about claiming the bull?"

He saw the tease where it was.

"I didn't know Adam was into men."

Her snort was loud, as her fingers stroked over his hand. It was a pleasant touch, not as crude as the one before.

"I meant myself... Y'know... A girl's real grateful for the man who saved her hide..."

Her eyes looked into his own, her body angling over him. Her imposing chest pressed against his own, her face close enough that a kiss wouldn't be out of the ordinary. "If you want..."

"These babies will be yours. I'm willing to get your name branded onto my body." He blinked, shuddering at the thought. That sounded like it'd hurt. "Aww, don't want to own a hot piece of ass, Jaune?"

"I'm with S-" Her finger pressed against his, as she climbed onto his lap, straddling him. With her size being slighter than his own, her breasts pressed against his face, her head looking down at him.

"I will make sure that the debt is fulfilled..."

Her voice was serious, as her hands wrapped around him, her hips lowering her rear to fit right against his groin.

"I was raised to follow the rules, Jaune..."

Her tongue traced over his ear, her hot breath brushing over it. "Placed right where I should be... A good lil' Faunus tramp getting dick in her holes by hot humans... It's glorious, y'know?" Her groin was warm as she ground it against his crotch, a breathy shuddering coming from her lips.

"It was just dinner... and then Adam collapses... I thought it somewhat funny, but... Well..." A wry grin, as her fingers stroked through her hair, showing the horns that grew there. "The bitch wasn't too kind."

He knew. He'd healed her thanks to his Aura. "Please..." Her voice was begging, as her eyes looked into his own. Blue met blue, though their owners didn't share the same species.

"Take me as yours. Sienna would not mind. A debt never repaid is not the way."

He thought of Willow. He thought of Yang. He thought of the woman who had stated that he was hers, who had said that she wanted him. He knew about Eve from their brief contact of Aura...

"If it helps you... I guess I will take you."

His throat was violated by her tongue sliding down into it. It was a deeply passionate kiss, even as he could feel that she was getting along with his tonsils, the slimy feeling of a tongue invading his mouth as she kept herself in very close proximity, her head moving away, her eyes still looking into his own, her breathing heavier.

"I'm together with Sienna, though..."

And Willow was definitely not an unimportant figure either... as was Yang. The smirk on Eve's face was unnatural, as the woman slid away, her eyes glinting with that desiring glint of amusement and attention, the slither of her tongue over her lips like a daring call.

"Like I said... She won't mind."

There was confidence in that voice, her eyes looking more at ease, her fingers stroking over his side, the older woman giving him a look.

"It's... Well, just ask her."

He supposed he should. Eve slid herself closer, her fingers stroking over his chest, his Scroll out of his pocket and then dialling the number that belonged to Sienna.

"Yes?"

Sienna's voice came from the speaker, irritated and snappy, and there was a clearing of his throat, yet Eve was the first to speak up.

"Yes." He could see Sienna's expression shift to an amused one, as her hand moved something out of sight, a glass of some sort of amber liquid raised, the Scroll set down.

"Congratulations, you've just found a beef burger." The tone she took was one of what he had determined to be pride.

"She kissed me and wanted me to claim her and... You're okay with that?" The White Fang's High Leader nodded and gave him a look as if he was stupid. He blinked. "Wait, what?"

"It's the due of the strong."

The words had been thrown around once again, Eve giggling softly, girlishly. "I see that you don't understand. Don't worry, don't worry... That cow burger is there for you." He looked owlishly at the woman, whose grin broadened. "Consider it like... a bodyguard, yes."

"I'll guard that body of his... Hmmhmmm..." That hinted at something that was... definitely not going to be something that would be with clothing. "It's the due of the strong."

' _What the fuck is the due of the strong?!'_

Sienna's laugh was amused, as she looked at his expression. "Don't worry about it, I'll explain to you when I've got some more time." There was something toying at her lips, before her expression turned deadly serious. "Don't cause an incident, Eve... Adam's not going to be taking it well if you're found with your tits out."

' _What the hell is this about?'_

Eve grinned, showing those white teeth once again. "Righty-o, Sienna." Sienna looked at her with a stern look. "Yes, yes. I get it, I get it. I'll be poli-" There was a dangerous growl that came from Sienna, as she fixed Eve with a dark glare. "Alright, alright... You call the shots, he gets the beef... I won't blow his mind yet. It's important that he accepted me, yes. I'll smack everyone else away if they try to challenge for the right. Even if it's Mini-donna."

They made no sense at all to him. Sienna's broad grin was almost predatory in its wickedness, as the woman leaned back in that comfortable chair. "Good... None who will mess with Khan will survive Titty Cow." The crude title was accepted by Eve without a blink, as the Faunus woman turned her gaze to the side, looking away from him and Sienna fixed her gaze on the camera.

"Listen, we're now in a relationship."

The words were confirmation, the seal of a bond.

"That means that we're going to be awesome. That means we're going to kick the ass of anyone who dares to come at us. Eve, much as I'd not really care for her proclivities of being a dickhound, is still someone who's trained to be a professional bodyguard. Some asshole who really hates the Faunus might take a shot at you... or well, some assholes who really hate me, will take a shot at you. With titty cow here, you'll have better chances when you go out in public."

"And he'll get to put his sausage between my tits and give me a facial, Si. That's the benefits package!"

The comment went ignored, as he looked at his now-girlfriend. This was complicating manners.

"But... I don't just like you." Sienna nodded.

"I know. That's why I have decided that I will be magnanimous and allow you to date multiple people... I suppose that isn't quite the human custom, but I am confident that I will be able to keep you..."

The assurance of that voice, as well as those blazing eyes, dared him to remain silent. He could've commented on the fact that it was odd for a girlfriend to tell her boyfriend that it is okay to date others...

' _... I wonder if there's a Faunus primer somewhere... I must be missing some information...'_

"Hey, wait up, what's with that 'I will be able to keep you' part?"

Sienna looked at him as if he was stupid. Eve started to laugh. "That's no joke! What's with that, huh?" The 'are you stupid' look increased in strength, as Sienna sighed.

"You've been raised by morons. It's natural, of course. You're such a hot item that most people would want to get a slice of you."

That was an ill-phrased manner. He had seen some of the Faunus look at him like he was some particularly juicy steak... That wasn't a good thing. "So, a Pogrom might be held to allow someone to ascend to a similar level in order to challenge me for the right." The nod from Eve, as if it were something natural.

' _Oh, so it's a little like the right of the victor. I guess I'll be on my guard for Faunus wanting to challenge me.'_

When Eve had challenged him just now, he'd not known what it had been about, but this made sense. If the Faunus respected strength, then he'd be strong.

"I'll keep you safe too, Sienna."

She made a face. It was one of those faces that was half-way between a cringe and something else. "No, no, that's… urgh. I've got to continue working." The connection shut off, leaving him to stare at the icon of Sienna Khan, a soft bleeping sound behind.

"My… You really had to say that, didn't you?"

Eve's voice was teasing. He fixed her with one of his best 'stern older brother, even though he was the only brother and was the youngest' looks, his gaze looking at her with all the power that he could muster.

"Ooh, glare… Little bitch needs a hatefucking? Give this cow all of your man-milk, honey…"

"Shut up." He growled at her with annoyance in his tone. Her mouth shut, as he looked into her eyes. "A man should protect what is his." It had been one of the things that his father had told him and it'd been one of the things that he'd been taught to value when his parents had been split through the demise of one. His mother still occasionally cried, a harsh moment of reality asserting itself whenever she did.

Eve had stopped with any motion, just looking at him. He was aware that she was close, as her breathing deepened. Mountains of mammary meat wobbled, as her eyes looked at him. "What?"

"Nothing…" Her voice was absent, as her eyes looked into his own. He noticed a heady smell, as she suddenly leaned against him. "No… Nothing's wrong." It was a wistfulness in her voice, as she rubbed herself against him, the feeling of two massive orbs sliding over his chest, up and down.

"Nothing's wrong with me."

Her voice was choked, as she breathed out with a tremor running through her body, her eyes looking into his own with a deep emotion in their depths, as she kissed his cheek.

"No… Everything's alright again and it's all thanks to you."

Her fingers stroked through his hair as she delivered another kiss to his other cheek, the smell of a heady musky scent coming to his nostrils, the perfume that she wore unable to block it out.

"I would've saved you and your brother no matter what. It's simply been luck that I was able to h-"

Her mouth was on his again as she kissed him, her breathing deeper than it had been before, a shuddering inhale and exhale that followed it, her eyes closed, a breathy moan coming from her lips. She parted slowly, and he could feel the warmth brushing against him.

It must be odd, seeing a Faunus sit on a human's lap, obviously intimate, but he didn't care. "You came for me and my little bull." Her eyes looked at him and she spoke words that he didn't really understand.

It wasn't a language that he knew, nor was it something that he could understand, more a collection of vocalizations, though she seemed to be able to tell something of a tale with it. She didn't go in for another kiss, though he could see that she was saying something that meant something to her.

"You're friends, so that makes you like family to me."

It was normal to care for your friends. If Pyrrha had been in a bad spot, he would've come for her as well. If Nora had been captured or something, he would make sure that she was freed from wherever she was taken to… That's just what you did.

She stiffened, an odd crooning sound in her voice. "Yeah. Adam was one of the first friends that I made, aside from Sienna." He saw tears run down her cheeks, as her eyes looked at him. "So, you're a part of my life as well. You're one of Sienna's friends, so I guess I'm stuck with you."

"I can see why you are who you are. Mini-donna must be kicking herself for having missed it."

The words were strange, as she got up. He noticed a large stain that'd gotten on her pants, a trickle of fluid leaking down her thigh. She seemed to notice, grimacing a bit.

' _Bladder issues… Yeah, that's happened to Terra as well after the birth… But this might be because of the whole thing with the girlfriend…'_

He'd seen what'd been done to Eve… The woman had inserted a baseball bat… and snapped it off. The amount of pain that the woman must've been in must've been horrible. She looked embarrassed and red, as her gaze went everywhere else.

"Do you need a moment to fix yourself up a bit? There is a public bathroom in that direction…"

Women needed some time to adjust, Eve giving him a smile, before she nodded. The wobble of her legs was enough, as she strutted off. He wondered briefly if that was intended. He was a man with a girlfriend, but the sight of Eve walking was… definitely pleasant.

He could look, after all, Sienna had said that he could look at other women… And some damn fine derriere was walking away from him.

* * *

The third ring of her Scroll was the moment when Willow answered it, her oldest child's attention undoubtedly gotten from the lawsuit that'd been filed against the Atlas military. She was aware of the inevitable suspicion that would've been leveled at her husband and herself, but she hadn't expected the girl to call this quickly.

"Good evening, Winter."

Her voice was level as the face of her daughter appeared on the screen, her eyes blazing with that familiar anger in them. She hadn't had the time to really talk to Winter in the last few days, with her husband blocking the majority of her time off with his silly games of power and personal appearances…

"The Atlas Military is being sued by the Schnee Dust Company, mother! What in the name of Atlas is father thinking?"

Willow could guess a few thoughts of her husband, save for the one that dealt with coitus… That was off the table of negotiation for the foreseeable future… ending at the 'ever' part.

"I would imagine that, since he has told me and Weiss to spread our legs for the young man's approval of his image being used in our marketing campaign in Vale… he was not very pleased with the news that Mister Arc was brought in for questioning."

The look on her daughter's face was dark, just as that moody little girl when her performance hadn't been satisfactory.

"General Ironwood called me in personally after I had been granted leave to explain why we were being sued by the SDC! That asshole had me feed him sugar-coated waffles and black tea by hand!"

' _Wait, which asshole?'_

Her face showed her confusion, as she inquired.

"General Ironwood wished you to feed him waffles and coffee by hand?" Her daughter's face twitched into an angry look.

"No! Arc! That smug asshole who should've been tied to a bed and given the t-"

Her daughter's face showed her clear anger at the thought, as she slipped into the military dialect, starting to speak about stuff that entirely was too unkind to hear for most civilized beings…

"Your father's favourite breakfast foods are not really something exclusive, Winter."

Her voice was soft, but her daughter's rant was cut off.

"I am going to find the little louse and show him that Winter Schnee is not some simple housewife!"

Willow gave a light sound of humour, as she saw the conflict in her daughter's eyes. Winter had _never_ wanted to become just some housewife. Willow had suspected that her daughter might have been a homosexual, if not for the occasional search through her room, all perfectly reasonable of course, to find certain magazines featuring men that looked a touch more exciting than her husband's formal style. Much less clothed, as well.

"I guess you'll just do your military stuff, whilst I am relegated to your father's whore…"

She couldn't resist the comment, as Winter had shoved the important bits aside for her vendetta. The look on the girl's face changed little, as her daughter puffed up.

"No! That's wrong! You may be a piece of crap, but you shouldn't have to… do things like that."

Willow's lips pressed thinly together, looking at her daughter with a glare. She wanted to be the good mother to them, but the thought of that was gone now.

"Oh? I seem to recall a morning when a little girl asked me why mommy was wearing the high collar…"

It was a vile thing to do, as she looked at Winter, whose gaze turned away, the comment having evoked a memory of that time, nearly eighteen years before. The little girl looking at her mother with wide eyes, noticing the bruise on her collarbone. It had been an accident, Jacques had said. It wouldn't happen again. A month later, it had happened again.

"Go and drink, mother."

It was a weak tone that her daughter used, as Winter seemed to shrink in on herself. She remembered it well, it seemed. She'd done it for her daughter. Society's appearance had to be maintained, after all. Nobody could see what went on behind the closed doors of a household.

"Oh? Telling me to go away, just like you told me to go away when I wanted to talk?"

Her voice was colder, probably due to her sobriety. She was done with this uppity girl who didn't listen. She was so sick of it.

"You never cared! If you had, you'd have…"

She felt a cold fire inside her. Her children had been born into this world bearing the blood of Schnee, they had been given the privilege of her family and her time. They had been born with the right to wield the Glyphs of her family.

"I'd have done what?"

Her voice was soft, as she looked at her daughter. "I guess I'll go and have a drink now, Winter. That's all I seem to be capable of doing, as well as upsetting your _precious_ General Ironwood. I'm just some washed-up whore of a mother, who is going to have to comfort her youngest daughter for having given her virginity up to some blonde teenager who your father wants to have on the cover of our products, before she is to be wed off."

Winter's face showed alarm, but Willow did not care. A press of the button and the Scroll call was disconnected. She put the Scroll on silent mode before she set it down. Her reflection in the mirror showed that there were tears leaking from her eyes, as she looked down at the Scroll background. A time when there had been warmth in the family, little Whitley in his crib, his big sisters crowding around him. It had been… nice.

She had still believed back then that her husband loved her… that he'd been… that he'd been just a little loose with his hands at the moments when he was stressed.

It'd been a busy time, the company growing to eventually become one of the biggest Dust suppliers in the world. Her eyes fell on the happy smile of Weiss, who had been four when the little babe had been born, still innocent to the world's dangers as she had been back then.

Whitley was growing up to be a good boy, albeit taking after his father. She supposed that he would need a good father figure, if she was… free again.

"Mistress Willow, the master requests that you visit him in his office."

The voice of Olav reached her ears, as she got up. It was time to face the music… and sing to the crowd of icy hearts.

Thirty minutes later, she was dabbing her face with a wet towel, aware that she hadn't been the kindest of wives. Her eye was starting to swell up, already making it hard for her to see, her Aura slowly mending the flesh as it regenerated it, but the punch had been unexpected.

She had been stupid, challenging the man. He was still the CEO and her own public credentials were not worth much. She mentally cursed herself for being too drunk to care.

The ringing of the Scroll was a welcome distraction, even as she looked in the mirror, her makeup mostly gone. She was a mess. She pressed the accept button though, as Weiss' face appeared on the screen.

"Thank you for intervening, mother."

The words were soft and grateful, as her daughter's night-time gown looked as functional as always, the light smile on her face enough. Willow didn't comment, as she merely looked. The ugly mark of her eye starting to swell and bruise faster, was just what she needed to focus on.

"Father said that I am getting an increase in allowance…"

Her daughter was excited. She'd stood her ground. Taking the punch had been worth it. It was all for her daughters, for the smile on that face. She could hold out a bit longer.

' _As long as you're happy…'_

"He said he was going to talk with you about business matters. Please tell me that you didn't go there drunk again, mother. Father is-"

" _No? Ah, mister Marigold, I apologize, my wife must be-" "I said 'No', Mister Marigold. Weiss will not marry your son. I am using my rights as the mother to dismiss the option of marriage. Thank you for showing an interest in my youngest, it is always a pleasure to work with you." "She's a woman… They are always emotional. Let's talk more about business later, shall we?"_

He'd hit her, straight out of the blue, as she'd drawn herself up to tell him what an 'emotional' woman was to do. It'd been a punch. She'd went down, looking at the man in a half-dazed state.

" _Everything I do is for the company, woman. You should just drown yourself in the bottle, like you usually do… But no, you won't. I won't let my company go under. I've worked for decades for the company and I will make it great!" "I bid you a good night, husband."_

She had slinked off like a woman with no purpose, her eye swollen already, her eyeball feeling bruised, as she returned her mind to Weiss.

"effort to reconnect. I think… I think he might be improving. If Jaune signs then…"

The girl was naïve. Jacques did not care, he'd never cared about people. It was perception, publicity and personal property that he cared for, and children had never been an afterthought until after he had gotten his son and heir.

"I'm going to lie down, Weiss."

She felt like shit. Her daughter's eyes turned cooler, just like her husband did. Willow felt the pain stab once more, as her youngest daughter seemed to firm up.

"You don't care, do you… You're just… cold. Just like father."

She could have given a response, but she just groaned. She felt too hurt to really do much more than just head to bed and turn off the Scroll, to let the world continue whilst she just ached.

"Good night, Weiss."

Her eyes caught sight of the blonde teammate of her daughter, looking at her. There was something in the blonde's face that caught her eye, a look of what might be pity, or recognition. Worry too, as the blonde opened her mouth.

The hand that had been half-way towards the call disconnect button continued, as her daughter looked at her with eyes that were cold. Her own blue eyes met with her daughter's as the connection shut off. It was a calmness that went through her, as she switched the Scroll to silent mode, even though her daughter called her again. She knew that the blonde had probably seen the swelling of her eye and noticed it for what it was, but she couldn't find it in her heart to care.

She washed her face, the light of the Scroll casting an image onto her features, as for a moment, she'd imagine a set of strong hands wrapping around her from behind, her fingers locking around his own and feeling his warmth.

In the mirror, she could see a wedding ring on her finger, forged from gold that had no taint of her former husband on it, a smile on her lips and her blonde husband giving her a look of desire, of craving.

It felt good. She wanted to be wanted. She so wanted to be in bed together with a man who loved her, who knew when she needed to feel him close and hear him murmur a soft word of love in her ear.

Weiss called again, but she did not answer the Scroll. Weiss always came crawling to her parents when things got tough… And she'd shown her true colours today.

Her eyes teared up, as she realized the feeling of loneliness, as the tears continued to stream from her aching burning eyes. Both her daughters didn't like her, unless they needed her. She was just the other useless parent in their eyes, and upsetting to them by virtue of being useless.

She curled up in her bed, hugging her knees, feeling the loneliness settle in. She could call Sienna just to talk, a notification sound coming to her ears, and her hand grabbing her Scroll and looking at the message.

 **Jaune: "Are you alright?"**

She moved her finger over the keyboard, letting her eyes adjust to the display picture of him.

 **Willow: "No."**

A typing icon, as an image popped on the screen. A serious-faced young man looking at the camera, a light smile teasing on his lips. Warmth blossomed inside her, a feeling of comfort. He would care for her. He would love her. She wouldn't be alone, if she was with him.

 **Jaune: "I'm here for as long as you need me."**

A pause, as she smiled, brushing her hand over her eyes, coming away with wetness.

 **Willow: "I love you."**

She smiled more, as she felt the warmth settle in her heart. She loved this young man. The connection that they had was such that it made her ache to feel him be away from her. It was not just the sexual needs that she had, but the need for companionship, an equal to stand at her side.

 **Jaune: "I know."**

Her smile was sad, as she knew that he knew. He was who he was. What he meant to her.

The young man that she loved, more than she'd ever loved her husband. The pain in her face faded, as she wondered for a moment, what it might have been to have been young and in love with him, the same age.

A mother should not envy her daughters, but she did. Weiss was perfect, as far as appearance went. Her other daughter, Winter, was definitely gifted in the bust area, much like herself. Elegant and full of that zest of life and willfulness, Winter was a beauty with a heart of ice.

If she had been twenty years younger, she might've been able to split from her husband and take the young man as her second husband. Whitley would have had a father and share his blood. Her hand brushed over her stomach. She wanted to…

' _But a wife and mother should not stray…'_

She'd told herself that she wouldn't drink, that she wouldn't hurt her daughters and that she'd be a good wife, but… Divorce…

' _Half of the company would go to him, but he'd wriggle himself into the position of full ownership…'_

Her husband was a cunning man. The moment that he'd arrived, the courage in her heart to divorce him shrivelled and she felt weak.

She didn't like to feel weak.

* * *

 **The Jacques' Revenge Arc is still underway! Yes, I decided to lengthen the story a bit, because I went over it again and was like 'No, I need more chapters to finish this off… All those plotlines… We're not even at the Vytal festival yet!'**

 **Next chapter in two weeks!**


	38. Black Swan

**Chapter 38: Black Swan**

 **I predict... Schnee.**

* * *

"Specialist Schnee, what a _pleasure_..."

The woman was prim and proper, seating herself down on the chair that Eve had vacated only ten minutes before, the look on the woman's face as calm as the woman undoubtedly could manage it, the impression that she got from those eyes telling her enough, if the frustration rolling off the woman in waves wasn't enough.

"General Ironwood has issued a formal apology for the rude conduct that had occurred during the meeting with you at Beacon Academy. I am here to deliver it."

The document that had been signed with the signature of the General and the seal of the Atlas Military was put in front of her, as Sienna Khan, High Leader of the White Fang straightened out, as her eyes met with the Schnee woman's.

"Oh, I do believe that there are some terms and conditions needed to fully ensure that my ire is sated... I mean, the diplomatic breeches that have occurred, the lack of suitable response during the incident with some rogue elements of the White Fang..."

A shark-like grin split her face as she looked at the woman, her eyes watched the woman's response, the gritting of the teeth and the faint hint of the blood rushing to the woman's cheeks in anger and frustration, giving her that smug sensation of contentment. Winter Schnee had not the patience to really make such deals. Her mother was far firmer in her words and far more reasonable, if properly motivated.

"It was not the fault of the Atlas military that there was no immediate response, we were-"

Sienna's hand smacked on the table again, the clap stopping the sentence, Winter giving her a steely gaze.

"Where was Atlas when my people were rioting in the streets, overturning cars and making a nuisance out of them? Where was that vaunted military when I had to go and get myself to a studio at late in the evening to give a speech next to Miss Lavender? Miss Schnee, do I make of your statement that Atlas merely is here to be the poster child for what not to do when to militarize?"

The look on the Schnee's face grew tenser, as the teeth were bared. "We have sacrificed a lot of our defensive forces to ensure that there is a presence here that can safeguard the people of Vale for the Vytal festival. That I-" Sienna held up a hand, cutting the woman off. It was polite to let them talk, but here she held the cards.

"That you have come here is but a token gesture from your General, Miss Schnee. You are _not_ your mother. If you were, you would be sitting here with an entirely different story, undoubtedly being in a different mood."

Willow would be in a better mood, smiling, talking about how nice it was to see Sienna on TV, their earlier conclave having been a brief meeting, but it had been well enough.

"She would just doubt me, undoubtedly about to take more alcohol to soothe herself. My mother is not a person to be mentioned casually around me, Miss Khan."

There was anger in the girl's voice, though Sienna would probably hesitate to call Winter Schnee a girl to her face. Sienna was older than Winter by seven years, but it was in attitude where Winter lacked. She was not the composed woman her mother was, nor was she the deliberate negotiator that her father was, which was the only compliment that she could give to Jacques Schnee.

"I would imagine not, given that she has more decorum than you have. Truly sad to see that the woman's daughter is such an emotionally driven woman."

The gritting of the teeth and the sharp exhale, as blue eyes met orange-yellow Faunus eyes. There was anger in those eyes, anger which would never have shown in her mother's eyes, only a cool hint. It was a look that'd make her want to challenge the woman even further, to see whether she'd snap.

' _That's it, little daughter... You have not the wit of your mother, nor the chill of your father.'_

There would be no charity from her out of respect for the mother of this girl who dared to act like an unwitting child, who would seem to think that she had the right to sit here and challenge the leader of the White Fang to a mere duel of words.

"You may think that, High Leader Khan, I do not see things as such."

It was a political answer, spoken after much gritting of the teeth, yet Sienna could see the anger brewing behind those blue eyes, the irritation at having to fold to the whims of a woman who was different from her.

"Oh? Have you ever loved someone, Miss Schnee?"

The question was innocent, she would say, bordering on the personal. The game of politics was all about the phrasing.

"Just as a question, I would say that you probably have had such warm feelings for someone."

It was not a question that she would regularly pose, yet she knew that there was more lurking behind the eyes that doubted her words and her existence. It was a loathing of something more than what she'd seen before. "Love doesn't factor into anything, Miss Khan." The tension in the shoulders was growing, as Sienna's eyes glowered.

"Doesn't it? I love my people."

There was no lie there, as Sienna watched the woman's response, the features twitching, the answer not forthcoming. Sienna saw the weakness.

"You might call me a patriot, even. I stand at the forefront of the Faunus, there to make sure that everyone does their part in working together with humanity."

Eyes smouldered, as the Specialist's hands came down on the part of the desk that was on her side.

"A revolution is _not_ working together, Miss Khan! Faunus _rioting_ in the streets, people being injured!"

Sienna saw the heat on her cheeks, as Winter Schnee's voice raised. Patience was not the woman's virtue, nor was it present. She rolled her shoulders, her dusky skin perfect with the camouflage if the room were less lit.

"They calmed down, didn't they? The events of a week ago were dealt with, after I made an appearance. I don't see understanding within you, Miss Schnee. The Faunus... But then again, _no_ Faunus has ever been accepted into the Specialists, have they? Unless you'd like to clear things up a little?"

The look in the woman's eyes was like a live snake, anger and frustration. Sienna thought it was quite a dangerous look, given that her friend had similar features to her daughter now. There was something in those eyes that spoke of danger and of a lack of control.

"Well? I'm waiting..."

Winter Schnee grit her teeth as her gaze turned away. It was not to be to get an answer to that. Sienna knew that she would have her answers soon enough, as she made a smile that'd be fit for the cover of a magazine, professional and predatory.

"Would you perhaps like to have some tea?"

The look in the woman's voice was dangerous, but Sienna minded it not. Sienna was the stronger one in this room, unmoved by emotions that had no need to exist right now. They were playing the game.

"No, Miss Khan."

The gritted teeth and response was like a beacon to her, as Sienna's tongue slithered over her lips. It was a win in her corner. She tapped onto her desk lightly.

"And I would like to know an answer to my question... Have you ever loved someone? You said that it doesn't factor into anything, but I do not find myself convinced."

The Specialist shifted in her seat, as her gaze turned away. Sienna knew that the girl had been seized, with the emotional topic of the Breach and the difference in questioning. It was not a bad tactic to employ with someone whose firmaments were shaky.

' _Willow, I guess your daughter's been hiding something from you... You should tie the girl to a chair and then smack her around a few times... Uppity children need to be beat down.'_

She wouldn't mind a beat down either. Preferably with her man, in the bedroom. She'd do the whole struggle thing too, if he was into that. The thought sent a tingle going through her lower body. She looked at the Schnee, her teeth showing.

"No."

The answer was spoken with distaste, as cool blue eyes looked at her, the answer simpler than she had expected.

"Love does not factor into my duty. Sex is not for recreational purposes and neither should it be."

' _I didn't talk about sex...'_

Sienna's grin widened a little as she looked at the woman, who had broke with protocol.

"Why not? Don't consider me as Sienna Khan, Faunus... Just consider me as your mother or someone that you are close to."

It was a risky venture, but she felt playful. Society-wise, Winter Schnee was far below her in status. She was just the eldest daughter of the Schnee family, not the leader of a world-spanning organisation, the beater of many.

The glare that she was given was enough, but the woman spoke up nevertheless. It seemed that Winter Schnee enjoyed a chat when she was riled up, or perhaps, when she was in a state where her emotions were running higher.

"If you were my mother, you'd be a lot less likely to drink."

That was a untrue, but Winter Schnee did not know that. She drank enough to make sure that she went to bed with a pleasant buzz. It wasn't something that she'd openly admit, though.

"But, no. Sex is not to be done, it's just a distraction. There were offers. All were rejected."

Sienna could see that Winter was deliberating whether to tell more. Her mother had similar body language, and the woman was telling more than she had intended. Perhaps the psychological effect of being in a room with another woman was at play, or the situation being stressed.

"And what offers were they? A swift tug and blow in the showers? No need to be shy, we may be at different ends of the spectrum politically, but we're both women. Personally, I am quite fond of making my man whimper."

She was personally fond of being the one whimpering as well, but that wasn't really important to the woman here. She'd seen the psychological profile and heard from Willow plenty about the eldest child. Where the Heir to the Schnee Dust Company was somewhat insecure and at times over-perfectionist in her handling, Winter Schnee was often described as business-like with outbursts of anger and frustration.

' _She needs to get laid. Badly.'_

"No, not a 'tug and blow in the showers'. They approached me for my looks. My bust is appealing, or so I have been told. A particular annoying man said that I had a nice behind and... There were some people who could not keep their hands to themselves. Stupid _drunkard."_ There was a grudging admittance of such things, as the young woman opened up. That was a start, at least.

"So... You're a virgin. Gee, I thought you'd be doing Faunus gangbangs just to stick it to your father. I bet his blood pressure would just cause him to flatline when he'd hear... If he doesn't have antifreeze in his blood."

The heated glare that she got, as well as the flushing of the woman's cheeks drew a grin from Sienna's lips.

" _Never!_ I may be a virgin, but that does not mean that my experience is to be denied! I want to feel a man's hand hold mine as we are to be wed!"

' _Wooh, Willow's going to love hearing that.'_

Sienna leaned back, as she watched the Schnee woman opposite of her. "I can hook you up with a few guys, if you feel like doing the gangbang option."

She wouldn't. But it was nice to poke at Winter's sore spot. There was anger in her target's eyes as Winter looked at her like she'd been a cat doused in a cherry jam bath. Sienna watched, as her tongue slid over her lips slowly, Winter's lips pressed tightly together.

"No. I am not interested."

Sienna figured that she might not be indeed, if she was like this. It might just be her Semblance or something to hunt down things. Wouldn't that be amusing?

"Really then? My, I'd have to complain to your boss for not getting you enough attention..."

It was a dangerous insinuation, but Sienna figured that she could wing it. She was in her domain, after all. She needed a good stiff drink after this.

' _I'll keep you safe... Fah...'_

"Unless he's the guy you're holding a candle for, Specialist Schnee? The big bad General, looking firm and direct, bending you over his desk and then getting you hot and bothered..."

The unmitigated anger in those eyes flared like an explosion of a Fire Dust refining station, Sienna's eyes watching for the eruption to start.

"I DO _NOT_ WANT AN OLD MAN IN ME!"

The woman was shouting at her, which made it all the better, Winter Schnee having gotten up. For the moment, Sienna was glad that she'd invested in good soundproofing methods. That was the best decision that she'd made, given how often she'd had to give an angry tirade that'd spook the neighbours.

"Oh? And what if he asks or orders you to? Do you think you can say no, Miss Schnee?"

The girl's face was pale and her cheeks were red, as she looked at her. It was a good look on the young woman, one which made her look like her mother. Willow looked like that when she was going to snatch up some pricy deal for the cheapest offer...

"You are a Specialist under his control, it would be easy for him to just snap a finger and have those pants down and your maidenhood taken..."

It was mean and uncultured, but she knew that the young woman was an easily emotional creature. Willow was restraint and passion at the same time.

"Can you resist him? Would you resist him? The Schnee bloodline is valuable... What if he asks you to bring him your younger sister for her first child, all for Atla-"

The gloved hands smacked down on the table, as the woman rose up, her face furious.

"I'd shoot the man _myself_ if he ever _thought_ about laying a hand on Weiss! You hear me, you mangy cat!? I'D MAKE SURE THAT THE GENERAL WOULD BE EATING THROUGH A TUBE IF HE'D EVER SUGGEST SOMETHING LIKE THAT!"

Sienna was not surprised by the outburst, though there was something that struck her as darkly comical. From what she'd heard from Willow, both her youngest daughter as well as herself had been put on the board to rope Sienna's own boyfriend in to the clutches of the SDC.

"And your father, hmm?"

It was a paling of her features wholly, as her face turned bitter in the features. A tremor ran through her, as there was fear in those eyes. There was genuine fear in those eyes, as something seemed to click.

"Jacques Schnee cares little for the safety of his workers, and less than that for his wife and daughters."

It was a well-known fact to her, after all. The man was far less willing to negotiate with her, though she'd really been annoyed by Willow's presence at the start. The woman had a canny sense about her, as the topic drifted to the man who was Winter's father.

"Do you think he would care for your objections? For your sister's objections? He still owns the money you spend, are you still willing to go against his desires? Would the General not think about the largest economic force in the Kingdom rather than a girl who's just a single woman?"

It was a trick that Willow would've applied with devastating efficiency, as the Schnee woman in front of her was a mess, her eyes looking away, half-raised from her seat, before she sat down again. The topic had been on relationships, but it'd drifted, just as she'd intended. Information had been gleaned from this.

"I don't want to be lectured by someone like you."

The terse admission, coming from the woman, was like a dark admitting of her own faults.

"And you'll die alone. Unmarried. A _virgin."_

Sienna liked sex. Better with her man. The tingle already burned in her groin from the thought of getting her man going. She might have to talk him into a night-time visit, if it was possible.

' _Curse my high sex drive when the dick is good.'_

"I'll..."

The woman bit her lower lip, still looking away. There was a firmness in her that seemed to grow, something that looked like it'd be a weakness. Her own grin turned more savage than before, as she began to lean.

"You'll do what? Let _daddy dearest_ control you? Oh my, not even your mother is able to raise a hand against that man... Does it feel nice to be the second coming of your mother, obedient to an older man who could strip you of everything that he gave you?"

She had been pressing, as Winter Schnee's face leered at her with a look that promised murder. Her weapon was already in easy reach, just in case the Schnee lost her temper and did something. It would be another moment on the job, she reckoned, if the Schnee just leapt at her.

"I will _never_ be like that woman! I will find a man who I love and I will make sure that he loves me too!"

Sienna nearly laughed at that statement. Winter making sure that she found love and that the man would love her too would be a pipe dream.

"You better find the man who makes you happy soon, Winter. Tick-tock says the clock, time's wasting."

It was advice from Kali that she was rephrasing slightly. Kali's version had an entirely lewder comment at the end, definitely something that'd make the younger woman blush. Sienna might've thrown it to the girl's ears, to see how she would respond to it... But had opted not to. Winter might actually leap at her if she did.

"I'll do that. You're not so bad, Khan."

She'd take that compliment, as she flashed a grin. Sienna Khan's megawatt smile of ultimate approachability, guaranteed to put the blood of Jacques Schnee to a boiling level.

"Find a guy that gets your blood pumping and steaming and then fuck him like you're a bitch in heat that's needing his fire hydrant to put that burn out."

It was crude advice, but it had worked for her. Jaune had tickled her spot better than her fingers could, toys not having sufficed very well after that. There was something about being given the pressure of a lover, a touch that just left marks.

She might just be a kinky bitch, but at least she was honest. A man worthy of her, she'd already gotten.

"There is this guy, he's a complete and utter asshole..."

Sienna smirked. That was a start. The woman was starting to talk, just like her mother did when she had been properly prodded.

"Dark and handsome, probably a small drinking problem? Really gets your blood going with that rage that'll just make you want to tear his hair out and write your name on his forehead because he's a dumb-ass?"

She'd heard a mention of a Branwen fellow, after all. Jaune had mentioned that the blonde girl who'd been dancing with him had an uncle like that. The man sounded like he'd make daddy Schnee get all in a twist about it.

"Utterly infuriating! The way that he looks at me and taunts me just makes my blood turn to flame. And then there is that comment about being a frosty woman! God, I hate him so much that I want to wring his neck and shove his weapon right up his ass."

Sienna grinned. That was good enough gossip-wise, knowing the major players in the general ecosphere of the powers that be in Vale. She'd gleaned enough from her little visit to Beacon to get a good reasoning about how the spheres worked together...

"Doesn't he have a sister?"

The question was answered immediately, as Winter nodded.

"A deviant miscreant, wanted in Mistral for destruction of property."

Sienna laughed. Willow would want to know this. Her daughter was going to fuck some guy who had a psycho sister. Better comedy couldn't be gotten. The girl was free to do what she wanted, after all.

"Well then, all I can say as a member of the pussy brigade, pun not intended... 'Go for it and fuck him until his balls drop off and dear ol' daddy has a stroke.'."

It wasn't bad advice. Fucking made things better, even if humans were not really her 'go-zone', of course. Jaune was special. He was the man who'd beaten his way through the Pogrom and had said that he'd...

' _That fucker better not expect me to be some meek housewife. If he's fighting for his life, I'll be there right at his side. Khan fucks with everyone who tries to fuck with her man, yeah!'_

"Perhaps I will. I have to report to General Ironwood about you receiving the official apology."

The woman got up, her eyes looking a touch hesitant. Sienna knew the look.

"It... It was good advice. Perhaps I should not linger for too long and... do things. Thank you, Miss Kh-, no, Sienna."

It must've been like pulling teeth to get that answer out of the cool Schnee, but it was something that Sienna found amusing to witness, those eyes looking coolly and yet with that fragility.

' _Yeah, Sienna Khan, free love advice, just because she gets dick on the regular...'_

"Make sure that you treat him like the asshole that he is. Just do it, don't give him any option to refuse. Hell, I jerk my man's pants down when I want to get a good fuck, if I don't ambush him in the shower."

The woman's cheeks flushed. Such intimacy no doubt was too much for those tender virgin ears, she reckoned. Too bad, she was adding fire to the fuel there. That stick needed to get out of her ass and another to be pushed right into her cunt.

"If you really want him to get with you, just get him alone and kiss him. Most guys are weak against kisses by a hot woman. You ain't so shabby-looking that a man wouldn't want to get a good test drive on you."

The attentive look that the eldest Schnee daughter gave her was nicer than before. It was one of those looks that she'd probably get when she'd have a few kids. She wanted at least six or so. That'd be a good number and she'd probably deliver twins or something, considering her man's performance.

' _Hmmhmmm... There's a benefit to Huntsman stamina... Yeah. I should give him a call. Make it sexy...'_

"Men are weak. They like a girl, they get hard. Don't sell yourself short, just loan one of your mom's dresses, make sure that the cleavage is low enough and then go and give the guy a night that he won't be forgetting anytime soon."

The look on Winter Schnee's face was serious, as she got up. The smirk on her face was more Willow-like than it was the frustrated look on Winter's face.

"I'll remember that. Perhaps Faunus and Humanity can walk side-by-side, eventually."

Sienna, as someone who enjoyed a good side of humanity inside her, merely nodded.

"We aren't so different from humans. We like a good bit of fun, we respect people when they are respect-worthy and we do great parties. One of my friends actually does porn featuring humans only."

Eve was an odd bird, even with Sienna's standards. Winter frowned at the crudeness of it.

"She likes it. I never was much of a multi-tasker. I like one man and he's the best thing in the world to me."

Jaune was great. Whenever he gave her that look and made her feel like she had something to fight for, it was great.

Winter was mumbling something about having to get through the haze of alcohol fumes. Sienna could understand that. If her guy drank, she'd drink with him. He'd at least given her a good challenge in his latest challenging of her, disguised as a simple lesson of respect.

The after-workout sex was great too.

That was the perk of being the Khan.

* * *

She heard the faint knock on the door before she became aware, her mind rousing from her slumber slowly, as she drew herself closer to upright. The blue lingerie that she'd decided to wear was laid out, as she called out. The other set had been white. Unstained white. She'd thrown it away, after it'd had its _use_.

"Mister Arc, here upon your request, Madame."

Olav's voice was light, as she pulled the brassiere on, the underwear already there. She needed this. She needed the touch of the man who had been a light in the darkness. It was better than... earlier.

Her cheek was swollen still from Jacques' parting shot, as she let her eyes feast on her reflection. Pale skin, pale hair and blue eyes that held a touch of fierceness. Bright red lipstick she slowly rolled over the lips, giving them a terribly crimson sheen, almost glistening in the light. It was late, she knew, but he had come for her either way. He'd come for her.

She felt so alone inside, as she took a deep breath. She had to do this, she had to feel better. She'd make herself feel good, just because she needed it. She wanted to forget, to stop the feeling inside her that threatened to swallow her.

"Show him in, Olav."

She was tense, as the door opened. The long coat that she wore was white and pristine in colour, the blue-stitched Schnee crest in the fabric as the only splash of colour in it. She was prepared, she was ready...

He entered, dressed casually. Something Atlesian, something that she'd picked out during that shopping trip at their earliest acquaintance. Something that felt familiar, something that had tugged at her heartstrings.

He looked so handsome to her gaze, with his eyes looking into hers for the longest of moments, blue meeting blue.

' _I am a woman, after all...'_

To hell with her marriage.

To hell with her daughters, who couldn't see that she was _trying_ to change, that she had already thrown away all liquor around her. She would be the mother that they needed, even with the divorce not finalized yet. She needed courage. She needed power.

Tears welled up in her eyes, the mascara that she'd applied running slowly.

"J-Jaune..."

His name was like a flame in a Fire Dust cartridge, sending a tingle of warmth through him. Olav closed the door behind him as he exited, as a good bodyguard should. This was not for his eyes and ears, though the man knew that she would not suffer.

"Willow."

Speaking her name with that soft manner, his eyes looked into hers. There were tears, as she took a deep breath, a sniff-whimper coming from her lips. He stepped closer, and she could smell the faint scent of his cologne. He'd dressed up for her, he'd come for her when she'd sent the message, hoping that he'd be able to be there for her.

A hand touched her cheek, as the younger man looked at her with his fingers brushing over her made-up skin, the paleness of her features light, made lighter with a dash of powder. She had sprinkled something soft on the skin, just a scent that would bring her out of that state of feeling ugly and unwanted.

"Please..."

Her voice choked up, as she opened the house-coat. Her breasts stood perkily before him, as he looked at her face. He didn't look down once, as she shrugged the coat off. Her lingerie, selected at a whim, stood there. He didn't look down from her face.

' _No, I'm... I'm not desirable. He has Sienna, why would he want me?'_

His hand slid to her shoulder. His fingers were warm, as he smiled at her.

"Make love to me."

She whispered, her eyes tearing up. It was a soft kiss to her cheek that he gave, as the despair settled in. Her cheek was bruised, her cheek ached and writhed, as the kiss was like a soothing cream that would make the numbness go away. She was here with the young man she craved, yet he did not look at her.

 _"Please,_ Jaune, I-"

His strong hand grabbed hers, giving it a little touch and a brush of a single finger over the back of her hand. She swallowed audibly, as she looked at him, feeling like the first time that she'd had sex. It was a tender touch, a loving touch of a man who cared for her. She hoped that he would care for her, that he'd take the loneliness away from her. Her lips parted and her eyes looked up at him.

' _Why won't you look at my body? I'm here! I want you!'_

"Jaune, I-"

She tried to speak, but he gently pushed her down on the bed, forcing her to sit there, as he sat down next to her on the bed, the springs giving a little moan under the weight.

"I-"

She tried to speak, but he looked at her and she lost her nerve. Her heart was beating faster, as she felt the arousal flash through her body.

"I w-"

He shook his head, cutting her off again. She obeyed, because he was her man. She couldn't imagine another, not after what he had seen, what he had done. He'd seen her deepest depths, the highs that had been dazzling and the falls that she'd made only to crawl back up again.

"Willow?"

He spoke her name with warmth. It was so nice to see his face warm and open, as he smiled at her. She pushed her chest out. Her breasts felt restrained, and she looked at him with a questioning look, his eyes stark in their expression.

"Did your husband hit you?"

His voice was softer than before, more raw emotion in it than before. It had been so, yes. It had been a moment where she'd gone against him. She wasn't strong like Winter or Weiss, she wasn't a woman who preferred to hurt people with brute force.

"Yes."

Her voice was soft and broken, as she felt the tears come. She looked at him. He looked older than he was. He was seventeen, young enough to be her son, but those features looked so strong, so powerful that it made her feel weak and yet, also different from that weakness.

It made her feel stronger. It made her feel like she had...

She pushed herself against him, her nose nearly touching his own, her arms around him. He was young enough to be her son, but she loved him. She loved him and he had been supportive of her. He loved her back too, she just knew it. Her eyes looked up, as her hair fell in her face. She should've done her hair too, if she was to be with this young man.

"Willow."

He spoke her name gently, as he leaned down and his arms pulled her against him. She shuddered and the tears came, as she laid her head on his shoulders, her legs wrapping around him as she pulled herself into his embrace. She was weak, she was not strong anymore, she had lost her nerve.

"Let's get into bed."

A thrill of excitement, as she disentangled herself from his warmth, her groin flooding with heat. He craved her. She was going to feel him, just like Sienna had. Passion and fire, rather than coolness and-

She shuddered. Her desire flickered and faded, as she started to cry. His hand was on her back, gently guiding her down to the bed. Her lingerie was still pristine, even as her husband had laid a hand on her.

If she had been drunk, she might've been able to bear with it, but he'd given her the blessing of his company in bed. She felt disgusting, even though it was all perfectly legal. Spousal privileges were there, as they'd sworn the oath of marriage before the officials.

' _I just want to be loved.'_

His hands gently put her into bed, and she obeyed. She felt the tension in her body rise, as she knew that she'd be feeling him.

"Shhh, close your eyes."

She obeyed, feeling the tingles rise. It was different with him than it was with her husband. It had been over swiftly, her voice having been frosty when he'd finally commented that she'd done something well.

" _A good job. Good to know that you're a touch better than just the drunken louse around the manor. I actually enjoyed that" "I find that it would be much more preferable to have a man who can last, husband. Might I suggest cardio?" * **Smack***_

He kissed her gently on her neck, letting her feel that touch of his lips. They were soft, the touch gentler than she'd experienced. Her fingers twitched, wanting to grab a hold of him, as he gently rolled her on her side. Her legs came up automatically, as he laid the cover over her.

A warm body pressed against her, her breathing heavier at the sensation. He was there, in bed with her. Did she dare to open her eyes and turn around, to look at him with eyes that held nothing but love for him? She was a woman who had a wife, whose husband had _been_ with her nearly two hours before, retreating to his own apartment once more, like the slimy slug that he was.

' _I just feel so alone…'_

His hot breath on her neck as he scooted up against her, his fingers lacing with her own, the underwear soiled now at the front. Her husband hadn't got much in the way of technique. An idle part of her mind wondered if she should buy him a manual. She wanted to…

Her behind pressed against him, as her head turned to him. His finger pressed to her cheek and a low moan came from her lips.

"Touch me."

Her voice was needy, as he pulled her closer. The clasp to her bra was undone with his hands. A tremor of excitement, as she got wet again. Fluids mixed inside her, as the desire flared, more than with her husband. "Just relax." His voice was confident, as his hands pulled the bra off.

Her nipples were stiff, as she rolled her hips, against his groin. She wanted him. She wanted to feel like a woman, like a wife. Just to imagine it for a moment, to be with this man and to be his woman. To make sure that he stopped the sensation of being alone, of being nothing but the 'wife' for her husband.

' _I should have cleaned myself first. Rinsed myself out. Gotten rid of my husband's seed.'_

Shame flooded her, as she felt him pull her closer. She didn't want to fuck him with her husband's seed still inside her. It had been an impulse, it had been a need for company and comfort and something to drive away the darkness. She'd needed _comfort._ She had needed someone to _care._

"Willow, we're not going to do anything."

He spoke softly, as she stiffened at hearing those words from his lips, spoken at a tone that was comforting, gentle and understanding. It was the deathknell to her right now.

 _Rejection._

He loved Sienna, her friend. He was having sex with her so often that Sienna bragged about it. He didn't want a mother of three, he only wanted a _Faunus._ She trembled, feeling the tremors go through her. She didn't want to know what face she was making, as her eyes closed, her lips trying to smile and wanting to cry and howl at the pain that shot through her.

Her Scroll buzzed and vibrated on the nightstand that stood at the edge of the bed. She couldn't deal with this, not now. She felt rejected and humiliated, her body feeling done with this. She should just end it…

' _Death would be better than this.'_

"You said that you'd want to keep your wedding vows. I can respect that. You need someone here, and I'm here for you."

He was. He'd come for her, and he'd said that they wouldn't do something. She'd said that to herself too, more than once. Her husband was there, but she wasn't going to worry about him.

' _I'd better answer my Scroll…'_

The communication was established, as Jaune ducked below the covers. She could feel his hot breath brush against her skin, his hold on her firm. Opening the Scroll call and looking at the face of her youngest daughter, she felt the hurt inside her settle. The girl was obviously up late, considering that the time read nearly 12. Her daughter might need her... Maybe. It was a far-off hope.

"What is it, Weiss? Has the money ran out?"

Her voice was as dead and flat as she felt, and her daughter looked taken aback with her tone. She guessed that it was the latter, because why else would she call mommy dearest? Why else would she bother with a lousy drunk that she hated, who she reviled?

She was _so_ done with her children. She was so burnt out, _hurt_ and _pained_ that she just didn't give a flying fuck anymore.

"Or has your dear old father decided to finally tell you that you'll be the cumbucket for Marigold's eldest son and you're here to yell at me? Good _fucking_ luck with that, Weiss. I hope you're _happy_ now."

She was _through_ with this. Her eyes flashed, as her daughter's lip trembled. There was hurt in her daughter's eyes, but she was done with her little girl's tantrums. She'd nearly died once after an argument with her youngest daughter, a bad decision, only rescued by the young man in the bed with her right now.

"All that I have left is pain and hate. I _tried,_ Weiss. I tried so _hard_ to be a good mother, to reconnect with you and make you _happy_. I wanted you to _smile_ , I wanted you to-"

Her voice cracked, as she started to quiver, her teeth grit in a snarl. Tears leaked from her eyes as she just felt everything hit her like a truck. Rejection and fear and pain mixed into a symphony of agony.

"I loved you, Weiss, but you never loved me _back_. Don't you know how much that _hurts_? You're the selfish girl who gets spoiled by her daddy's Lien, whilst her mama is nursing the bruises! See this? See what he did to me? Ask your older sister why mama wore the high collar so often when you were growing up. Mommy didn't trip, no, she got hit in the face when your _father_ finally lost his temper with the financials for the month and required more _money_ from my side of the family."

Anger flowed through her, as her daughter's face was pale, almost frightened. Her finger pointed to the mark on her face. Her voice raised in pitch after. The girl didn't even dare to respond! She wasn't even worth a single word from her youngest daughter!

"Not got any cutting words for me, Weiss? No, 'you don't _care,_ mother', 'Go back to your bottle, _mother?'?_ Are you happy _now_?!"

Weiss looked like she was going to cry too as Willow mimicked the spoiled and uppity tone of her daughter. Willow didn't like to shout but she was far beyond caring. The light came on in the dorm room, she noticed. Weiss' face looked spooked, as the nightgown that she wore looked comfortable. A touch more comfortable than her own feelings at this moment.

"Are you _happy_ that you've heard this, Weiss? Happy to hear that that lousy drunk mother of yours has finally given up trying to be your mommy and just told you straight what she _feels?"_

She knew that Jaune could hear her, that he heard the ugly emotions inside her, but she wanted Weiss to know how she felt.

' _I love you all but I won't remain silent.'_

She'd sacrificed so much for the children, everything that she could, just to give them a youth that they would not look back on with horrible emotions brewing up in tem.

"Are you happy to hear that she's _finally_ giving up, huh? You've got your wish. Your mother tried to kill herself a few months ago, I guess you didn't hear that yet, Weiss! Your father would be so fucking proud of you for having actually made your mama so sad that she'd end it all!"

She ranted, she raved. Her expression was hurt and pained, angry and bitter on the camera. She looked like a mess, but her daughter would know the truth. She hurt all over. Why did everything go wrong? The man she craved didn't like her and her husband was just using her.

Anger fueled her as she saw the trembling lip and the wetness of the eyes. Someone was saying something to her daughter in the background, but she was quite beyond caring about how she looked to them. She was saying _her_ truth and she was going to make sure that Weiss knew _exactly_ how low her mother felt.

"You could've had only your _father_ to care for you if I hadn't had someone to rescue me… And guess who would be getting to see the roundness of her fucking stomach by this point in time next year, hoping that she dies in childbirth? _You._ You'd hate the baby in your belly because it was made with nothing but a business transaction, all for the company. He's going to sell you, like a _whore_. You'd want to die, or you want _it_ to die. You'd want to hurt the man that hurt you so badly."

Her husband wouldn't care. Her daughters wouldn't care. None of her children would care what happened to her, nor would they ever. They had their Lien, they had their little fancies. The moment that they would be old enough, they'd be wed off to make business connections happen.

"That's what I did, when I aborted your fourth sibling."

It wasn't a thing that she'd like to talk about. Jaune knew, though. He had told her so, and he'd… he'd shared with her most of what he knew. They were connected.

"I was going to tell him, at your birthday. It would've been a wonderful surprise for you too. Mommy was pregnant again, _yay_."

Spite and anger filled her, as she remembered that day. She'd thought that he'd loved her, but it had all been a lie. It's all been about the name, about the Lien.

"He'd marry you off in a heartbeat, and it is only thanks to my veto right as the matriarch of the Schnee family that keeps you from getting your womb basted with some old bastard's seed! Don't you get it, you stupid girl? I am _all_ that kept you two _safe_. Do you think Winter would be able to stop the man when the General tells her to _breed_ a Schnee for the bloodline to continue? Oh no, little miss 'Atlas is the greatest Kingdom in the whole fucking world' would probably get the first asshole in her bed to do whatever Daddy Ironwood says because she just fucking _hates_ her mom so much."

Someone in the background with her daughter gasped, and she felt the hug tighten around her. Pain and tears came, as she looked at her daughter's ashen face, the girl looking like she'd had when they'd first had their row, right at the party.

"I _hate_ you. I _hate_ you and _wish_ that you'd never came out of me. You are no daughter of mine. You might have come out of me, but you are just like your _father_."

She took a deep breath, the words having been tough to speak. Weiss looked like she had just heard something horrible, but what did her daughter care? She was just like her father, with sweet honeyed words and only a dagger in your back to soothe you.

"Enjoy _your_ life, Weiss Schnee, daughter of Jacques Géle. I hope you're _happy_ with what you've _done!_ I'll just settle for knowing that nobody wants me."

She pressed the button, shutting the call off, the look on her daughter's face destroyed and weak. Something quivered, as she closed her eyes and sobbed. Nobody wanted her. Nobody needed her there for them. What was the use of being strong and a mother if she was unwanted?

Winter didn't care in the slightest, Winter never would care about her mother. She would not sit with her eldest daughter in the garden again, watching the glistening magnificence of Atlas and the snowdrifts on the mountains together. She wouldn't brush her youngest daughter's hair, or to assist Whitley with whatever work he needed to do for his tutors.

"Willow, it's okay."

His voice came from behind, as she felt her pain increase, her eyes scrunched up tight. He was hugging her, even though she felt so bad. She'd shouted at her daughter, she'd acted just like Jacques had.

The young man with her must loathe her, showing that ugly side to herself. Her Scroll buzzed again, but she wasn't going to answer it. She didn't want to, she didn't feel like it. His hands shifted a little, laying on her stomach. She felt the burning inside her, as he kissed her neck. It was a sweet spot on her body, as she moaned softly.

' _I just want to be loved…'_

She turned herself over, her eyes opening and gazing into concerned blue. Her lips pressed against his own in a needy, moan-filled kiss, her body twitching and shuddering as she felt the heat in her loins pool there like a gushing volcano of desire.

He kissed her back, his hands grabbing her by the back of her head, keeping her head there. His tongue duelled with her own, as she felt the warmth of his body, tears coming from her eyes, as her hands tugged at his shirt.

' _Please don't leave me, please…'_

Skin that was pale and with some scars was unveiled, his nipples looking adorable, as she pressed herself to him. It was a need from a woman to a man, her eyes looking at him with desperation. She needed this touch, as he pulled her closer.

"I love you."

The words from his mouth made her smile, a genuine smile. A smile that she'd felt had been absent for too long. Her head lowered, laid against his skin. She felt safe. He'd said those little words, that meant more than she could ever say. Her eyes were wet. She was crying tears of happiness, because he had said that to her.

"I don't want you to say to your daughters ever again that you hate them."

She had been hasty. She'd been torn around by her emotions and she'd said that. Weiss hated her, she knew. Winter disliked her and probably hated her too.

She just wanted love. Was that too much to ask? "I'm sorry." Her voice was a soft whisper, as he pressed his hand to her cheek, stroking over her cheek. It was okay. It was her fault.

"You love them _so_ much. Do you remember when Winter graduated?"

She did, and he knew it too. She knew a lot about him, more things than other people would remember. His father had been a good man, and his sisters loved the young man as much as they could. He'd picked up the slack when their father had died as the man of the house.

"She smiled. I was happy for her."

The fight had come later, after all. Winter did not agree with the funds that she'd set aside, so she had went to the military. The money was still in the account, waiting for her daughter to access it. It'd been a considerable sum, enough to get a home in the upper-class Atlas districts and maintain it for a decade, if frugally spent. She knew her eldest was a good woman, who would know how to maintain her standard of living.

"And when Weiss sang for you, didn't you have to take a moment to wipe the tears away because you'd liked to see her smile? She asked you whether mommy liked it."

It had been sweet and endearing to hear her daughter sing. It was one of the few things that had brought her joy, hearing her daughter sing, her voice like the clearest rendition of whatever she sang. She loved her daughters so much.

"I did."

She felt lower than low, but he was there with her. She pushed herself against him, as she languished in his warmth. The covers were wrapped a little tighter around the two of them, as she kissed him gently, the lipstick having smudged already. She cared not one instant for how she looked. Her makeup was a mess, she was here with a young man who had denied her and told her to not hate her daughters…

' _Why…'_

"Let's sleep, Willow. You'll feel better in the morning."

Her smile was brittle, as she cuddled up against him, his arm around her. How long had it been since she had been able to cuddle against someone like this? Her daughters had joined her in bed from time to time when they had been young, even Whitley having been a sight at times, before he had decided that he was 'too old to be in bed with Mother'.

She just pushed herself against him a little tighter, looking up at him. She was a mess, but she was _his_ mess now. He cared for her and he saw that sex would not be an option to banish the void inside her.

' _You swore a vow, and you don't break that vow, Willow Schnee…'_

Sex would have shook her out of her convictions. It would have been right back to drinking, to trying to block the hurt out. She would have forgotten who she was, she would not have known what she had done, even with the nature of herself open and raw.

The Scroll was shut off, as she pushed herself closer, kissing the man's lips. She could not call him a teenager anymore, not after this. He had been directive, he had told her to focus on the good, rather than the bad.

He was _her_ man. Nothing else _mattered._

She had him here with her.

* * *

Jaune looked at the woman currently nestled against him in the morning, his expression serious, as he'd stayed with her for the night. It was a softness of her features, a weight that seemed to have been lifted from her shoulders and pulled away.

He brushed his finger over her cheek, touching her. She smiled at him. Sienna smiled too, but Willow's smile was more precious, as the woman's suffering was different to him. He had seen what she had seen. Some things needn't be mentioned, as he had witnessed all that she was. Her Semblance was his somewhat now.

"I love you."

He whispered those words, as the woman shifted a little in her sleep. It had been a battle last night to contain himself. She had offered herself to him, her eyes empty, yet with that need. A terrible need within that woman's eyes, a need that burned like a live flame, as she drove herself to ruination.

She would've killed herself tonight if he hadn't stopped her. That look in her eyes, the words that she had snarled at her daughter, the face that she had made… It had been true. Weiss hadn't treated her mother with the best of intentions, and it showed. Willow hurt so much that it was like a gaping wound that was being cauterized and re-opened.

He might've slept with her if he hadn't spotted the signs. She was not a woman who was without her charm, after all. Sienna would understand, undoubtedly. Sienna was not dumb and she understood. He checked his Scroll, looking at the nineteen missed notifications. Weiss had called him, more than once. His message box was full of messages from her, all missed. It was a sad state of affairs that he noticed, but acting as himself wouldn't help much.

He gently pressed against Willow's side with a cold finger, stroking it over the pale flesh from her collarbone to her buttock, the woman shuddering a little, slowly opening her eyes. Her eyes looked at him with a hint of deep sadness, as her makeup had smeared. She looked a mess.

"Get up, Willow. You need to get into the shower. Your youngest daughter needs you."

He got out of bed, watched by her eyes that still looked dull with the sleep she'd just had. She hadn't responded yet, but her eyes were soft, as he pulled her up. She was light for a woman. Weiss probably was smaller in stature and weight, but Willow was light.

He carried her into the shower and then turned the knobs, letting the cold spray hit her. She gasped, waking from her slumber. "You're going to call your daughter and apologize."

"Join me." She said in a soft whisper, her eyes looking at him with a plea in their depths. It was a needy plea, and his pants slid off, with the underwear discarded a moment later. He stepped under the warm spray with her, brushing his fingers over the knob and adjusting it a little. "Good boy…"

"This is just to get clean."

He said, trying to make sure that she understood. The effect that she had on him was clear, as blood swelled the organ. It was a normal expression for a man when he was with a woman he liked.

"You may give me a sponge-bath, Mister Arc."

Her voice was louder now, as he grabbed the sponge and brushed over her back. Sienna's back had her tattoos, with the hint of muscle below the skin. Willow's back was smooth and silk-like to the touch. "The contract is signed, so my husband will be satisfied." The man was undoubtedly going to be irritable, Jaune knew that very well from her memories, if Willow hadn't gotten the deal with him.

He had signed it, knowing that linking his image to the Schnee Dust Company was good for Willow's image. A capable businesswoman she was, and her personal state wasn't too shabby either.

"Hmm… For someone who's said that it's just to get clean after that night together, you certainly do have a greeting prepared for a woman like me."

It was a biological impulse. She was hot. He knew her in ways that nobody else did. She was _Willow_. She controlled herself, knowing that she didn't need this at this time. He knew that if she was trying, he'd be putty in her hands, but now she was just a friend, someone who needed to be nurtured back to a good state.

As he emerged from the shower and towelled off, he got himself clothed again. She hadn't given in to the urge, and he knew very well that it would be something that she wouldn't do, no matter how low she had gotten. She was a woman of principle, not a woman who was escaping again into the liquor-soaked lands of despair.

Willow wore a fluffy robe as she emerged from the shower, her hair loose. He was already in the process of getting himself dressed again, as he watched her take a seat, her hair draped onto the robe. She looked pretty, his smile causing her to smile. He handed her the Scroll, looking into her eyes with an imploring look.

"Good luck, Willow."

She smiled, and she pressed the icon for Weiss. He took a moment to watch through the see-through screen, the Scroll call connecting, Weiss looking horrible still, but somewhat happier to see her mother still intact and whole.

"I'm sorry, Mama."

Willow smiled softly, as she shook her head. "No, I should be sorry. I love you, Weiss. I could never hate you." He watched as she smiled, her eyes looking a touch teary as she inhaled really deeply.

"I felt really bad last night, I'm sorry that I shouted at you…"

Mother and daughter seemed to be on the road to getting together again, as he shook his head lightly at how the reconciliation happened, smiling at the intimacy, Weiss looking somewhat better now that her mother was talking to her.

The smile on his face was still alight as he turned around, leaving Willow to talk with her daughter. As he closed the door behind him, he heard a clearing of the throat. A familiar sound, belonging to one person.

He turned to see the clean white suit and the combed hair, the cold eyes looking at him, his face turning somewhat more serious. Jacques Schnee stood there, dressed in a business suit that'd been freshly pressed and cleaned, undoubtedly having waited for a short while, the look on his face almost pompous before it was the genial manner once more.

"Did you enjoy her, Mister Arc?"

The question was impolite to even ask, even as he remembered Willow's breakdown. He had stayed with her all night, even as she ranted and raved at her daughter. It had been unpleasant, but the man was under the assumption that he had done the deed with her.

"She was…"

He smiled, his gaze turning back to the door, as if wistful. Anger welled up inside him, the urge to kill this man rising. He had laid a hand on someone that he felt strong love for, someone who had bared her soul to him, whose life he had saved with his own strength. He turned around again and smiled. "Magnificent."

"Good, good. It's galling of course, but it all works out. The paperwork has been filed, so I hope to have a productive business relationship with you."

The man's voice was casual, perhaps even friendly, but Jaune knew that nothing of it reached the man's heart.

"Willow sure was someone special. You are lucky to have such a loving wife, Mister Schnee." The man was lucky. Willow was someone special.

The carefully practised laugh was as fake as the smile on the man's face. "Now, don't flatter me too much, son. My daughter Weiss has told me good things about you, but my wife… Well, if you would wish to entertain yourself with her once more, there can be some arrangements made… The underwear line is of course, under her brand, as the Dust product line might be too early yet, but there is good money to be made for a chap of your skill!"

Smiling at the man, he turned his gaze to the door that he'd shut only a few moments before.

"She is talking to Weiss now, Mister Schnee. How about I give you a call tomorrow? I still have classes in the morning today."

He hadn't expected the man, but he knew how to deflect. He knew how to lie. The man patted his shoulder, handing him one of the gold-rimmed business cards. A personal contact number, one to his personal Scroll.

"Do take your time, my dear boy. I sense Lien in the future for you. My wife did a good job in recommending you. A convincing that seemed to have been stimulating for you, Mister Arc."

He blushed. It was the thought of her convincing him that made his cheeks heat, just as the man would need to see.

"She's… heh. She's something special, alright."

Shaking the man's hand and trying to remember that he'd wash it a few times with extra-strong soap in the morning, he let his thoughts return to the day at hand.

"Do allow me to drive you to the Docks, in order to see you back to Beacon safely, young man. We wouldn't want you to be jumped by some over-eager Faunus, right?"

Cinder Fall was one obstacle on the way. The way that Jacques Schnee treated the woman that had given him three children was something that posed an obstacle as well.

' _She is worth more than a thousand of you, Jacques Gélé.'_

He was out in the fresh air a moment later, the limousine waiting for him there, the man carefully directing him to take a seat.

He acted as he should, the somewhat shy Huntsman in training, the humble young man who had just had the ride of his life by the man's wife. A new graduate from virginity, even though he had experience with tiger-taming himself.

' _Willow, I won't let you be alone. I'm here for you and Sienna will be there for you too.'_

* * *

 **Yeah, she wasn't feeling too great. She and Weiss are talking at the very least now. Jaune's going to get back to Beacon in a car with Jacques Schnee.**

 **Ain't that nice?**

 **Leave a review, if you'd like! I like reading reviews! It's nice to see people's responses!**


	39. A step to the left

**Chapter 39: A step to the left**

 **Jacques is a dick, Jaune isn't thick… And Willow wants Jaune's big and thick d***.**

* * *

Yang wasn't the smartest individual in the room at times, she knew. She also knew that at times she wasn't the fastest or the most agile. She didn't like those things, but she was the strongest one that could last the longest.

"Are you _happy_ that you've heard this, Weiss?"

The voice of Weiss' mother that came from the Scroll call was angry and howling, the pale features of the girl turning even paler with every shriek from the woman, angry and burning words, cutting like sharp razor edges. Weiss wasn't taking this well, as the woman wound up for the final kick.

She'd seen it before, a spat between lovers, a spat between family. That final kicker that just left someone breathless and gutturally gasping, the venom in their tone just there to break their partner or friend down.

A strange tremor went through her own body as she heard about the abortion. The woman wasn't silent, with the Scroll call's volume being as muted as it was, Blake gasping as she could hear it too.

' _Oh… Weiss…'_

The final parting shots hit Weiss and she trembled, her eyes wide and spooked. She looked just like a little girl now, afraid of the world and no longer having a mother to hide, the click of the Scroll call disconnecting and the blank stare, as eyes filled with tears that leaked down her face.

"Weiss?"

Ruby's shrill voice came from the bed above Weiss, a soft reminder of this place. Weiss did not respond, as the tears slowly started to trickle down the girl's eyes. A little hiccup, Yang getting off her bed and walking to her slowly. There was a frailty to that face, as the girl, for Weiss did not look like the Huntress that she was in the process of being, seemed to be at a loss of what to do.

Tears came quicker, the Schnee Heiress starting to tremble. Yang didn't know what to say. Her own mom had left her, Ruby's mom had died. To hear your mother say that she hated you and she wished that you'd never been born was something that had hurt Weiss. Hell, it'd hurt her a little, just from how angry it had sounded.

She wrapped an arm around Weiss, who took a deep breath, starting to giggle, the tears coming ever faster. A low moaning sound, as Yang felt the hug increase, breaking down into what were full-blown giggling laughter, unhappy and shrieking for that love, as Yang's cleavage grew wetter.

She felt her sister appear at her side, hugging Weiss and Blake at her other side, giving a hug, though Ruby tried to soothe her.

"It's not going to be like that, Weiss. We're still here, we don't hate you."

' _Wrong thing to say, Ruby…'_

Weiss just started to cry even louder, sobbing hiccups of laughter and hurt emotions. Her mother had kicked her right when she was down, told horrible things that might be true. Uncle Qrow had said that Weiss' mother had been sober when she'd come around here last, which seemed months ago.

"I just… Father is going to sell me to an old man?"

The confused whisper from the girl, who seemed miles away from them all, the tears still coming. "I'm… I'm going to marry?" There was a soft whimper that came from her. Yang hugged her teammate a little tighter.

"I'm going to marry and… Mama told me?"

A twitch that ran through her whole small body. "I just wanted-" More tears, as the girl started to break down, Yang noticing idly that she'd better get a new shirt because Schnee women seemed to have tear production cranked up to maximum, the girl hugging her tighter. Yang supposed it might be the placebo effect of a mother given that she had the most womanly features of the entire team.

"She shouldn't have said that she hated you."

Ruby tried, Weiss pulling her head out of Yang's cleavage, giving her partner a hurt look. "That wasn't nice of her!"

"She's right though. She's been trying to improve, trying to be a better mother and I just… I just _laughed_ in her face. She made me the primary heir upon her death, because she's depressed and I didn't-" The girl's face turned paler than before, as something seemed to click.

"Oh…"

The dash for the Scroll and the punching in of a number that Yang couldn't keep track of with how fast Weiss put it in, the dial tone just going on and on, fragile little quivers from the Huntress in training's body.

"Mommy, _please_ pick _up,_ mommy…"

The tone of 'this number cannot be reached' devastated the girl, Yang could see it. The number was called again, Weiss trembling, as the tears came heavily. Seven times she called the number, with the expression on Weiss' face turning more haunted with every time she rang the number. The tremors seemed to increase, the blue eyes looking scared for her mother's health.

' _This isn't good.'_

Weiss' mother had turned the Scroll on, or she'd done something really bad to herself. A number that she didn't know was called next. Weiss looked frantic.

"Olav? Mister Olav, is my mother still alive?"

The question was spoken with a heart-rending tone, the man's exhale loud, as the man spoke formally.

"The mistress has requested that I do not inform you of her status, Mistress Weiss."

The girl looked scared, she could see that.

"Did… Did mama nearly die?"

The man's pause was telling. The waiting time seemed to break Weiss a little, as the man's answer came.

"I am not allowed to tell you about the Mistress' brush with death." That was confirmation. Weiss' eyes looked scared, as her lip trembled.

"Your father is not to be informed of the issue regarding your mother's health, Mistress Weiss."

Weiss gave a small little nod. "Thank you, Mister Olav."

Her voice was pinched and with a faint glimmer of something, as she shut the call off.

"Father tried to kill mother."

The words made Yang feel a spike of unease through her body with how calmly Weiss said that. "She said that she tried to kill herself, but Mister Olav… He said that it was a brush with death. That's code for 'assassination attempt'. Gods…"

The girl trembled heavily as she realized what had just happened, the look on her face turning despairing. Yang had seen it before, when her father had just shut down, her eyes having seen the hope in his eyes crumble into dust.

"Are you sure?"

She asked. Weiss hissed at her, Ruby nearly leaping away from her.

"You don't know what it's like to have a father like mine! He told me to fuck _Jaune_."

Yang froze. That'd been something that she hadn't taken into account, remembering that earlier moment. "And then father congratulated me for doing something for the company. Jaune was so sweet and understanding afterwards, and… Well, I-" She grabbed her Scroll and started to type, her typing speed definitely faster than Yang's own, working with a swift tap to the send button, before another dash over the digital keyboard that'd been on the screen.

"I should ask him whether he could swing by mother's apartment, he's out in Vale, undoubtedly with…"

A deeper sigh, as her typing stopped. Yang thought that the girl had sent six messages or so, the look of woe on her face. That doubtful expression, as the pale-haired heiress let her eyes rest on her Scroll, her voice soft as she spoke.

"I love him."

Weiss mumbled softly. "I'm sorry, Yang. You've got some feelings for him too, but… But I love him."

There was another round of crying that started, even with Yang feeling that numbness settle inside her. She wasn't going to do under for the heiress, even with the shitty hand that Weiss had been handed.

There was much more crying, the girl breaking down once more. The moment of bravado and faux confidence had been shattered, burning with that momentary glow of intense warmth, into what was nothing but a deep dark pit of despair. Yang couldn't imagine what it was like, to hear from some other source that your father had tried to kill your mother, though the Schnee name was big money.

That someone could even fathom such a thing to do to their wife, who had given them children was anathema to her. She didn't even want to think about it, knowing that she would've punched the man out if it had been up to her. She wasn't the gentlest girl in the world, but you didn't do that. Mom ran out on her dad, but that didn't mean that she had been a bad person. She must've had her reasons for doing so, she figured.

Bad reasons, probably, but what happened to Summer Rose must've shook the woman up as well. She patted her sister's partner's shoulder, even with the small little hurt inside her that the girl had liked Jaune just as much as she did. The squashing of that jealousy was important, as the girl was vulnerable.

* * *

None of them slept that night. The ringing of a Scroll call, the startled moment where Weiss froze up, her eyes looking at her Scroll. Weiss pressed the button for the call's acceptance immediately, holding it up to her face. The girl looked like a mess, hoping that it was her mother that called, rather than someone else on the other end of that Scroll.

A fluffy robe was worn by the woman, who could pass for her eldest daughter with a quick glance, seated there in whatever room she'd gotten. The smile that blossomed on Weiss' face was warmer, as she looked at her mother still intact.

' _You cannot hate the mother that just vented her true feelings at you, can you? You're so warm, Weiss.'_

"I'm sorry, Mama. I... I'm sorry."

The girlish voice that came from the mouth of Weiss Schnee was humbler than she'd ever heard the girl, her eyes looking at the womanly features of her mother, which looked to twist into a smile slowly. Yang smiled at that too, the sign of the woman being more accepting of her daughter, the storm having passed.

"No, I should be sorry. I love you, Weiss. I could _never_ hate you."

The words were motherly and warm, showing the light within those words, rather than the shadow that they'd been clouded with the last night. Weiss' mother looked years younger, as if a weight had fallen off her shoulders.

"I felt really bad last night, I'm sorry that I shouted at you…"

There was a small smile that tugged on Weiss lips, as she nodded her head in that imperious Weiss manner.

"It is fine, Mama. I heard from Mister Olav that you had… a close call."

There was a tension in her voice, as her mother gave a soft nod. Yang noticed a tremor that ran through Weiss, the fears of the girl being confirmed.

"It was so cold. So cold. Just feeling how the world starts to slowly die off and then… poof."

The woman's voice was light, as she closed her eyes.

"I shouldn't be alive. I should be in a coffin, flown back to Atlas to be buried. But… The thought of you three all alone…"

Weiss looked seriously disturbed, as she sniffled a little. Yang could see that Weiss felt like crap.

"Mama… You don't have to apologize, I've not been… _Great_."

The woman regarded her daughter for a moment, letting the fingers brush through her hair.

"And… I would like to apologize, Winter and I haven't been… desiring of your company."

The glance to the side that the woman gave, as someone handed her a cup of tea, the voice of the bodyguard coming from the side, as she was informed of her husband leaving, a look of distaste on the woman's face as she sipped some of the hot brew.

"Mister Arc has signed under the Schnee Dust Company's underwear label."

The flat voice with which the woman delivered the news was hollow, as Weiss froze up. "Your _father_ is delivering him to the airship docks now." There was a softness to the woman's voice as she sighed.

"I got the impression that he did it just to be _rid_ of me."

There was a hint in the woman's voice that Yang recognized as dismissal, a pain that felt real, as the look on the woman's face mirrored that of Weiss. Yang thought that it was fitting, since her husband had been the one to try and push her to the brink.

"Father just cares for the money, he doesn't-"

Weiss' mother laughed, a hollow laugh that came with a faint hint of despair.

"Your father wants to see you pumped full of some asshole's seed so he can get those trade routes opened up post-Argus, just so the proceeds from international trade can increase. After all, what more does he need from his daughters and his wife aside of _obedience_? Whitley will be the heir after you're wed off." The mocking tone, the casual crudeness of the voice, as the bitter look on the mother's face was real.

"You know, I once made a young man an offer, when I was at my lowest point. I was so drunk that I nearly broke my vows to your father, vows that I had sworn I would keep. I _wanted_ him. He was _there_. I just laid on the bed and told him to fuck me. Anything to banish the emptiness inside me with something _hard_ and _young_."

There was a wry tone to the woman's voice, her eyes glinting with that faint hint of something more, something that lurked in the deep recesses. Weiss looked shocked.

"He said _no_. He said no and told me to get some sleep. I felt so _ashamed_ , Weiss. I would have fucked him, I would've shown him all the beautiful spots where a woman could feel good, but he _denied_ me. Me!"

Weiss looked a little sad, trying to muster a smile. Yang felt bad for the woman, because being rejected never really felt very good.

"And then I invited him for coffee. I wanted some of that youthful energy, that defiance against a woman who could ruin him, something that I made sure of to arrange already, but…"

The woman looked regretful. "but it never could be. I want to feel love _too_ , Weiss. It's a human thing…" The deep sigh from the woman made Yang wonder how things could have spiraled out of control so much for the woman.

"You didn't do it, Mama. You're still… Okay, we don't always _agree_ on things, but…"

A hollow laugh from her mother, making Yang witness Weiss shrivel up once more.

"You should hear yourself talk, Weiss. 'We don't always agree on things' is putting it lightly. You dismissed me as a mother, when I just tried to make you _happy_."

The words were calmly spoken, yet there was emotion in that voice.

"I try so _hard_ to make you happy, Weiss. My little snowflake shouldn't drift to lie in a snowbank, she should be free. Go out and have an orgy with your team or something! Fuck a Faunus and let your father know about it with a front-page image."

The tone of the woman was dark, as she looked at him.

"I'm done with it. Winter won't ever turn around on her views, she's a stubborn girl, just like me."

Yang wouldn't exactly call Willow a stubborn girl, those breasts of hers were nothing like a girl's, in Yang's own opinion as the bearer of a proud set.

"But… Weiss? Can we go out this weekend and shop? I want to connect with you again. Your team can come too." There was a faint grimace, as the woman recognized something was wrong.

"I'll do my best to stop your father from marrying you to Marigold."

Weiss looked grateful, as she released the sound of happiness that she'd been holding in.

"My daughter deserves at least a man her own age."

Weiss smiled softly, her fingers sliding over the thin nightgown that she wore. Yang supposed that it was a good thing that Weiss was smiling again.

"There is this boy I like… Mama, do you think I can…"

A rock seemed to land in the bottom of her stomach. Weiss was going to ask something that just went beyond the pale for Yang.

' _Oh no, you're not going to say that, you're not going to fucking say that, Weiss!'_

"Do you think I can marry him? There are some other women he's interested in too, but I…"

Weiss trailed off, looking at her specifically with an expression. "I know that the law says that polygamy is allowed in some cases and-. And I really would like to be married to him, and-"

"Your father might not agree, but whatever makes you happy…" The woman said, as Weiss smiled a genuine smile in response to those words. Yang just felt a feeling of betrayal, as she saw the smile on Weiss' face.

' _You fucking bitch… Seriously, don't go and stab me in the front too…'_

"Did father hit you often?"

The girl's voice was quieter with that next question, as Willow's expression barely changed, a deep breath slipping from her lips at the question that was asked.

"More often than not when I _misbehaved_."

Yang felt empathy for the woman, even as that sting of betrayal was washed away by the shock. The woman sounded like her daughter, as her blue eyes looked tender, another sip of the tea.

"When the deal hadn't been as he _wanted_. He said it was a mistake at first, but after a while, he just said that it was _my_ fault. I usually went through a bottle or three in an hour on those days."

There was an oddly clinical manner that the woman used to speak about it, as if it was in the past and she just listed off a grocery list.

"You could've gone to the authorities, right?"

Yang offered from the side, a faint gritting of her teeth.

"With my husband being the sole provider of Dust for the Kingdom? I would imagine that my efforts would be stymied by him before I ever got out of the _house_. My _husband_ is still a man who controls one of the largest Dust companies in the world, Miss Xiao-Long. As long as the Dust flows, Atlas floats."

Yang had to give the woman that. Her husband was a real piece of work, it seemed. She felt a dash of pity for the woman. She almost wished that the guy she'd tried to seduce had given her what she'd wanted, because that wasn't a good way to live.

' _I'd never let my man hit me… Well, unless he wanted to have some hot fiery Xiao-Long sex… My Semblance does make me stronger when I get hit, so…'_

It was a thought that bounced through her mind for a bit. She wouldn't mind trying that out some time with the guy she liked, if he was up for it. He teased her back too much for that to happen that quickly, though.

"You should go and get ready for class, Weiss. Sorry for ruining your sleep. It wasn't a way that a mother should ever behave."

Weiss smiled, as she glanced at the clock. It was a relief to see the girl smile fully again, after the night of what had been tense and high emotions.

"I love you, Mama."

The woman's eyes were leaking, as the woman mumbled something back that was an acknowledgement, wiping at her eyes, a soft whispered version of that spoken in some harsh language, Weiss licking her lips slowly.

It was an understanding, Yang guessed, that Weiss had reached with her mother, as she watched the woman give a little wave, before the Scroll call was cut off by Weiss.

A deep sigh came from Weiss' lips, as she looked at Yang, looking into her eyes. "You're _on_. We'll see who he likes _best_. I'm not going to lose. He's not married yet and I won't let some older woman bedevil him with weird little thoughts of sex."

' _Fuck.'_

She'd have to work harder on getting the guy into her good graces…

Why could love just be _easy_?

* * *

The man didn't waste any time, Jaune noticed. Jacques Schnee looked at him with that faux paternal manner, obviously aware of how he was looking. The man never did anything by chance, after all.

"Mister Arc, no, Jaune… There are beautiful opportunities in store for you."

Undoubtedly there would be. He did the routine of the almost shy smile, knowing what would work on the man. Willow had mastered the art of appearing as something entirely different to a degree that would send shivers through most people's consciousness, the man's eyes cold and without much warmth behind the mask.

"You will need help with your family, yes? There's a few opportunities that have come up…"

The man's words were ineffectual, using that same paternal tone. Jaune felt disgusted, the mention of his late father's name and the current financial situation for his mother, which wasn't looking too rosy…

"I don't think that it would be a good thing to accept your charity, Mister Schnee. Your wife was already generous enough, and I'd rather not infringe on your life too much."

The man waved it off, his moustache quivering a little, as the smile deepened. Jacques only did that when he was feeling inordinately pleased.

"Not a problem at all, say… What do you think of my youngest daughter? How was her performance, in comparison to my wife?"

He hadn't laid a hand on either of them, but admitting that would be an advantage to the man, the woman's husband no doubt convinced, as he'd given a good response to the man, as a young teen should.

"Blushing, shy, not very good. Your wife is much more eh… _experienced_. Sorry, I just-"

The stutter of nervousness, as the man smiled. There was no emotion behind that smile.

"She knows what she does is alright. I have far more stressing things to do than to be a good husband, so… If you wish to entertain yourself with my wife, feel free to." That was as good a sign as to her having been written off as an investment.

"That's mighty kind of you, Mister Schnee, but I wouldn't want to break up your marriage… I mean, it's… She's beautiful."

She really was, her pale features almost snow-like, just like her daughters.

"She understands, Jaune." The usage of his first name felt wrong from the man's lips.

"A young buck like you in her bed will make her happier." Pandering words, by a man who did not feel them.

"Do you perhaps have any suggestions on how to improve? I will let her know, _discreetly_ of course."

The man would rage at his wife for not being pleasurable enough, he knew. He looked down, trying to suppress the urge to just banish the man out of the limousine and into the traffic with an overpowered Glyph. "Well… No. She was… wooh. Honestly, I'm… I'm amazed that she'd do such a thing with me."

"I am not afraid to admit that I haven't laid with my wife in years. Our marriage is more a formality… Would you perhaps be available tomorrow to speak with me about some of our brands? If you wish feel more comfortable, I can arrange for a room where you and my wife can have a liaison."

The man's audacity of selling his wife out for simple monetary gain made Jaune grit his teeth, yet he knew that there would be people who would gladly take the offer.

A Schnee held a quality about them that spoke of excellence, of grace and poise and a fine posture that held the eye of many people, the pale locks looking like they'd be as gracious as a cresting of fine snow on the hills. Willow was a very attractive woman, as were her daughters. "I don't know, Mister Schnee. She wasn't very into it… I don't want you to have a marriage that is filled with strife, even though your wife's performance is very enthusiastic."

"It wouldn't be too much of a bother, son. It's not any issue and undoubtedly, she would rather enjoy your company than mine. There are some… disagreements that we have. But if you'd prefer Weiss, that can also be arranged." The man was prying at him, trying to find out which snare to pluck to make the tune come up to the benefit of the orchestra of Lien.

"Oh, no, I think I'd rather hold the memory of your wife firm for the time being. I should keep some energy in reserve for the next day, after all."

A jolly laugh that had been practised for the benefit of an audience, as the man clapped him on the back as if he'd said a funny joke.

"Why, there's no need to be restrained. If you wish, she can be dressed as you wish. Any particular fantasies that you might have, I can arrange it."

He imagined it for a moment, Willow dressed in her husband's business suit, smirking at him and rolling a cigar around on a desk, a powerful woman. Sienna probably would have a minor fit if Willow did that. Sienna probably would imitate her just to spite her.

"Ah, but those opportunities… What are they?"

The lure of sex hadn't worked, Jaune watching the man shift gears, nodding with some sternness to his features.

"A few statements, a minor endorsement. Schnee Dust is the best Dust in the market, as you know. My wife must have given you a brief overview when she thanked you for saving the Dust shipments at the Docks, undoubtedly with the manner that she's adopted as of late."

The conversation turned to Jacques' specialty, Dust. It was a conversation that dipped into the technical, the deep and gritty stuff about advertisement and value. The man held a respect for him, as he tried his best to sound somewhat knowledgeable about the stuff whilst not _getting_ some of the other parts.

As they pulled up to the airship docks, Jaune had already gotten a good understanding, as the bodyguard opened the door whilst Jacques smiled with that faunt hint of encouragement. "If you ever need anything… I can open doors for you." The man's personal Scroll number was entered in his own Scroll now, after the man had given it to him. It was something that few people got, but it was an interesting thought. He knew that Jacques Schnee handed it out to people who he saw potential in for great gains...

' _She should have taken the children and left.'_

There was a brief moment where that thought rumbled through his mind, as he said his goodbyes, the promise to meet with the man tomorrow at the afternoon repeated. It would be a good moment for him to take a breather and wait for the next ship to take him up to Beacon, but he figured that he'd have to make some calls first.

"Hey, kiddo."

The voice of the man drew his attention, as the unshaven man stood there at the waiting area for Huntsmen that needed to go to up to Beacon.

"Been out for a night on the town, eh? Heard through the grapevine that you've been my apprentice for a while… When'd that come about?"

He looked at the man, remaining silent. He didn't trust the man one bit, the man's sister being Yang's mother and a threat to his continued safety. "Don't want to talk, eh? I heard you gave Jimmy one hell of a wedgie…"

"Listen, kid… If you're going to be messing with me, you'd better f-"

He grabbed the man's coat and glared.

"I just came back from a meeting with Specialist Schnee's father. I'm not in the mood to go and have a discussion with you about stuff that in the end, does not matter one bit."

He was angry, the man's eyes looking at him, the smell of alcohol heavy in the air, as the man jerked himself loose.

"Geez, that's some fancy personage that you're having the good graces of. Seen the old snow queen too? Winter'd love to hear something from her dear ol' mum."

The man took another drink from his flask, the red eyes looking at him with what might be a judging gaze, though Jaune was aware that the man would kill him if he felt the need to. There was something dangerous about him, something cool and collected under the haze of alcohol.

"Yeah, I've seen more of her than I'd ever tell Weiss."

It wasn't untrue, as he'd seen Willow in nothing at all. He'd held her, he'd told her that he loved her… and he wasn't taking those words back. He loved her, just as he loved Sienna. Willow was a woman of poise and grace and seductive words and lips that could just…

"Hey, kiddo. The ship's arrived, time to get on."

The man called him to attention, a grin on his features. He looked like Yang's mom, probably because they were related.

"So, you've spent a night with the old snow queen?"

The man prodded, no doubt interested.

"What about my niece? Isn't she good enough for you?"

Yang was different. Yang offered a bold exterior but a gentle interior. She was a girl you loved and cared for, someone who could laugh with you and make you feel happier. "I've already got a girlfriend, I'm afraid."

"Then why fuck the Ice queen's mom? You got some sense in your skull, or just foam?" The man's words were rough and Jaune's expression darkened.

"Your sister wasn't complaining when she checked me out, Branwen. I guess the desire to get some Arc inside of them is genetic, because both checked out the dragonslayer I've got down there and approved. I've done a lot of things I regret, but I don't regret what I've done to make sure that your nieces and their team stay safe."

Ruby would have suffered, if Fall had been allowed to do whatever she had planned. Yang would have suffered too… He didn't like that.

The rest of the ride was spent in silence, as he watched the man, whose expression seemed to be more thoughtful, a soft sigh coming from his lips.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry about implying that you'd give the Snow Queen's old lady a bit of a roll in the hay. You're a kid, you've still got to grow out of that wild phase. We did a lot of stuff when we were in school, me and the others."

An impeccably dressed Winter Schnee stood there at the airship dock, Qrow immediately switching gears, looking at her with a ribald grin on his face.

"Come here to entertain me, Winter? I thought I'd lost my touch."

The glare that the woman delivered to the man was fierce, as she opened her mouth before closing it, the retort dying on her lips. "Come with me, Qrow. You've been requested by General Ironwood to visit him." The man's smirk was casual, as his hand smacked that ass of Winter's, the woman's eyes blazing with frustration similar to that frustration Jaune had seen in her mother's eyes.

"Don't be so cold to me, I thought we had something together."

Winter's eyes glanced at Jaune's direction for a moment, her lips thinning, as that glare seemed to increase in strength.

"As _if_. We will be heading past my rooms first, it seems I need to pick up a few… necessary items."

There was a gritting of her teeth, a little look in those eyes that seemed to be like a lustful glance that he'd seen in Willow's eyes many times and Jaune pitied the man for a moment.

"Gonna finally succumb to my sexy wiles, eh? Did I thaw the snow queen?"

The man said, as he walked with her. Winter's face was stern, as she let a small smile slip onto her features. It wasn't Winter's happy smile, but rather the smile of someone who was going to royally fuck someone up or over or just fuck them silly.

"Oh, let me say that you may be in for quite a surprise…"

Jaune winced. That was the _mean_ smile. Winter was going to do something really bad to the man, as his hand squeezed her rump. That she allowed it was already a small miracle. The man was treading dangerous grounds there.

He wandered back to his own dormitory, meeting several members of the other teams that he knew, greeting them. A fresh set of the Beacon uniform he'd need to wear for classes today.

When he emerged with a fresh set and Pyrrha currently updating him about some of the latest student body happenings, he caught sight of Weiss and Yang standing in line at the cafeteria, spotting Weiss looking pensive, her makeup a lot better than before, tapping her on the shoulder lightly.

"Are you okay?"

She turned and flushed a red colour, her eyes smiling as she smiled at him after a moment. "Better… I hope I didn't wake you up…" She looked better now, her body language speaking a little more to him than her features did. She was feeling better, even as Yang's hand grabbed his arm, rubbing herself against him.

"How's my blonde doing today, huh?"

The soft thrill of Yang's voice was like a teasing whisper, her body pressing against his own, her breasts touching his own. It was hard not to think about Yang and what she had on display.

"I slept pretty badly, there was something that kept me up. I apologize for not getting back to you in time."

Weiss smiled, her lips fluttering in a soft smile. "I'm really sorry, but I ran into your father when I went to check on your mother."

"Ah… _Father_ …"

The face turned gloomier, as Yang spoke up. She obviously saw the issue with Weiss' father.

"Now, let's have ourselves some grub, shall we?"

Her breasts did a little bounce up and down, rubbing against his arm. It wasn't an uncomfortable feeling. Weiss looked a little queer.

"Did you use Autumn Flower shampoo?"

She asked, to which he nodded. It was Willow's favourite. She undoubtedly knew that. It also was _very_ pricy.

"My eh… you know who I saw last night, prefers to mix things up."

Sienna preferred a muskier brand of shampoo that made sure that her natural hair was always soft, which didn't mix with Willow's own brand well, because their hair was different in structure.

"Oho, a hot date?"

He winced. "We had a bit of a fight." He could call it that. He was reminded of the fact that he hadn't even called Sienna yet, because of the thing with Willow. "I should give her a call between classes, tell her that I'm sorry." Apologizing worked because Sienna was forgiving and kind. He didn't really know why most of the Faunus tended to shiver when he was around and said something stupid to her.

"Oho, so that means you're on the marketplace again, right?"

Yang's hand stroked over his chest, looking into his eyes and closely brushing against him, her lips passing close by his own. "Need a hot date for the night, loverboy?" Her voice whispered, and he felt Weiss stiffen.

"I'm not sure whether you'd be able to keep up, Yang… Your uncle seems to be convinced that you're too good for me."

The other blonde smiled, as she leaned up to give him a kiss. He stopped her, as he knew that it would just be a tease that was going to rile Weiss up.

"I certainly can decide on what is a good thing and what is not."

Her voice was challenging, as he pushed his hand to her stomach, keeping her at a distance.

"Going to push me away, loverboy? Weiss would just be too little for you to keep up with… She's not the _woman_ I am…"

He knew that Yang was a virgin. He guessed that it would be an easy conquest, if he did make her enter the bedroom, but something stopped him. He wasn't sure what to feel, what to do. Willow's explosive night last night had left him worried, and he wasn't sure whether he wished to have something like that with Yang. She was a delicate girl as well, no matter how she acted.

"Can you please order, so we can have our food before we die of sheer jealousy?"

Someone commented from behind them and he looked at the cafeteria staff, who looked both amused and a little annoyed. Weiss coughed and then ordered, looking at Yang.

"Look at what you've done, Yang."

He didn't mingle in their discussion, as Yang got her order after Weiss had made hers, his own order being somewhat different. A simple fizzy drink from the vending machine would make him feel a little better, as the fresh food simply lured him closer to the finish.

' _I should formalize it…'_

He got his Scroll out, checking the notifications and making the adjustments, his mind thinking on other things than what he was doing. A message was swiftly sent to the person that he needed, before he returned to his optional entertainment.

Yang and Weiss were still arguing about something, the latter looking just like her mother did when she quibbled with Sienna, Yang giving a bold grin and saying something that had the heiress all huffy.

' _They're beautiful.'_

Willow was beautiful too. He pulled her chat up and typed out the words.

 **J.A.: You're beautiful.**

She didn't respond back yet, undoubtedly in a meeting with her husband, but he was sure that she would be more or less able to make it through unscathed. The man was pleased with him, he knew.

' **That is an option. I'll start with the preparations… I'll prepare the groundwork for that. Don't worry about it. It'd take a few days to get the required materials ready.'**

The response came quicker than he expected, as he got up. He walked to Professor Port's class with no hurry, his food having been polished off the plate without any incident, his hunger sated.

"Students! Meet my new colleague, Miss Amber Autumn!"

The portly instructor spoke up, his voice a little higher and faster than before, less bombastic. Jaune had to give it to Amber's sense of style, as the tight leather bodysuit just made her look a lot more… mature. The hair was still cut in the same style, but there was something more that just seemed to pop out at him, her eyes looking with that little hint of devious mischief.

"She will be helping me with my classes and… hopefully tell some of her own stories." The man's voice was hesitant, as Amber spoke up.

"Since Ol' Peter here seems to be the man who'd rather put you to sleep with his talking… I'm here to entertain you. I was going to tie down Porty here and make sure that he tells you the tactics, but we can't win them all."

The man looked scandalized, as Amber hissed at the man, who seemed to shrink back.

"As you can see, Creeps are ugly assholes. They're assholes who leap at you with some load of teeth and hit like a battering ram."

The woman stepped to the forefront, pointing at the old teacher behind her. "I'm here to give you the base tactics when you're dealing with creeps, and this time not talking about some old cabbage grandpa who sold the best cabbages ever and smelled of them too whilst wrestling Grimm babies or something.'

The professor mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like 'My uncle', but Amber ignored it. Jaune could see that light in her eyes, as she pointed a finger at someone in the crowd.

"You there, with the red hair and the look like he's sucking dick on the regular, yeah, _you_. What'd you do to make sure that you get out of a Creep's path if it's coming at you like balls come at your face, huh?"

The language certainly was crude and Jaune had the distinct impression that she was just doing it for the hell of it, the look of offence on Cardin's face showing clearly that he didn't care for that. "Hey, you can't speak to me like th-" The woman moved faster, a foot on the lowest-rung of the desks, getting up and the weapon she held in her hands at his throat.

"Fuck with a Huntress that graduated and get your balls busted into mush, buddy. If I say you're some sort of sissy who takes fun in being the bitch for his team, you're a sissy for your team until you can prove me that you've got the nuts in that little empty scrotum that you'd be able to k-"

The woman flew away all of a sudden, a purple glow wrapped around her, hitting the wall with significant force.

"We do _not_ threaten students, _Miss_ Autumn."

Glynda Goodwitch's voice was chillier than Atlas nights in winter as Amber was slammed against the wall a few times. "And if _might_ makes _right_ , you're _still_ my student." There was a clammy hand that seemed to grip the hearts of the students, as the woman smiled a toothy smile.

Nobody spoke up, even as Professor Port pulled Amber off the wall, the telekinetic force ceasing. "It seems that my decision to check in on your first lesson was a prudent one… Are we _understood_ that such an event is not to happen again?"

"Yes, Gee-Gee."

The body slammed against the wall again with a careful application of the professor's Semblance. "Alright, alright… I'll stick to not cussing and scaring Porty by having doing a re-enactment of his Valentine surprise…"

"That would be most preferable. I did not enjoy that."

Jaune could see that the man had not enjoyed it, Amber giving a roguish grin. There was a faint memory of 'MAKE LOVE TO ME, YOU OLD MOUSTACHIOED LOVE HUNK!' and someone professing that they wished not to lay a hand on a student.

"Maybe if Gee-Gee is good enough for you, she'd-"

The woman's head slammed against the wall a few times, before the body dropped. There was a bloody smear against the wall, as the Semblance fixed the wall slowly.

"It seems that our lovely assistant of today needs a refresher course in public _conduct_ , students. Professor Port will resume the lesson on Creeps in a _concise_ and _factual_ basis, right?"

The man nodded, a lot quicker than before, as the deputy to Professor Ozpin levitated the body of the woman out of the room. Jaune imagined that Amber would have a headache after that.

It was alas, something that she would have no control over, nor would ever get. Glynda Goodwitch was an educator. She would not flinch away from corporal punishment even if she'd be personally implicated with that.

"Very well… As my late great-grandfather once said…"

The man's speech was lighter than before, and Jaune wondered for an instant whether the man had heard Professor Goodwitch for a concise explanation, but he paid attention regardless, the man's tips having been helpful thus far for getting the most out of his long stories.

Seven hours later, he was on his way back from the gym after a workout session with his team when he noticed Yang's uncle limping, his face looking bruised, his steps a little unsteadily. Jaune felt a wince of pity for the man, as he took careful steps, trying to minimize his pain. There was a burn mark on his pants, the man looking a little dazed. He missed the rug being half-way out and then tripped, falling flat on his face and just groaning in misery. A smudge that might be lipstick was on his cheek.

' _Ouch… Someone must've gotten their hands on you and given you a good beating.'_

He crawled into bed that evening, reading his Scroll for a moment.

' _Good, the preparations are done…'_

He was going to meet with Jacques Schnee tomorrow. He'd better be well-rested for that meeting.

He had a feeling that Willow wouldn't be very happy for that, but…

' _Sometimes, you have to bite the bullet and do things that you don't like.'_

He would make sure that Willow would smile again and be the mother to her daughters that they deserved.

Sienna would _understand_. She knew what was at stake for Willow.

He _wouldn't_ fail Willow and Sienna.

* * *

 **Weiss and her mom had a chat! Qrow's had a chat with our favourite blonde main character... And Amber and Glynda have strolled by again. Gee-Gee strikes back.**

 **Leave a review if you'd like! Thank you for reading! See you in two weeks!**


	40. Amague

**Chapter 40: Amague**

 **Y'all been thirsty for some explosive Schnee action… Dear ol' Jacques has got his just rewards coming to him…**

 **Yeah, not today. He's getting what's coming to him though.**

* * *

"Weiss, I really am okay."

She'd been at it for a while now, looking at him with eyes that were much like her mother's when she was worried for someone. She'd just started to stare at him, and when he'd asked, she'd just replied with something that was vague like 'you look a little sick'.

"He's _fine_ , Weiss. A hunk of a man."

Yang said from his other side. She'd muscled in on the seats next to him, looking at him with eyes that held a touch of flirtatious teasing. He hoped that she'd return to being the fun girl, rather than the flirty girl. He really didn't like the way that she was looking at her.

"Eh, Weiss?"

Ruby tried to say something but Weiss pointedly ignored her. It was a bad habit that Weiss had, when her focus was on someone. "We've got to go… We've got classes in ten minutes and we'll be l-"

"Don't you see I'm talking to Jaune here? Who _cares_ about classes?"

 _He_ did. He hoped that she'd do as well. Her mother would be upset if her grades dropped due to a lack of attendance or attention. He caught Pyrrha's eyes, the apologetic smile on her lips more common than he'd like to.

"You do? You're always doing your homework on the day itself…"

Ruby mumbled and gave him a sympathetic look. "Alright, team RWBY! We shall go to class!" Both the girl's sister and her partner turned to her and gave her a look. Ruby shrank back before the two turned their attention right back towards him.

' _Like I'm a piece of meat and Sienna's looking right at me…'_

That was a fun thought. Sienna had been trying out some things that she'd wanted. She'd hinted at having a big surprise in store for him, but she'd been trying to keep relations with the Schnee Dust Company stable. Willow's husband was… not very hospitable about that.

He had an appointment with Jacques Schnee in the afternoon after classes had concluded. He wasn't looking forward to it, though he knew that the man would be civil, as he wanted something from him.

' _I hope Willow will be alright.'_

He cared for her, even if he couldn't show it. He was caught between the flames of Sienna and the cool of Willow. He sighed deeply as he watched Pyrrha motion to the clock. It was time to get up and go to class.

' _At least I've got a good school session to be interested in, rather than the Dust magnate.'_

He sat himself down in the seat nearly twelve minutes later, taking out his notebook for the parts of Professor Port's speech that were the most important. The man was already preparing himself, the last comers still there. The wall was surprisingly still intact, even with Amber looking modest. The outfit that she wore was a little more covering than her default Huntress gear, the demure look on her face definitely looking a little tamer.

The Huntsman himself looked a little more at ease, as Amber's eyes sought him out and she gave him a look, before settling on Cardin. He recognized that look. It wasn't a look of 'I like you', as he remembered her earlier outburst. Whatever Glynda had done to Amber, it seemed to have made her more polite or at least, restrained in her motions.

"Good morning, students. Today we are going to talk about some of the native Solitas Grimm, with my assistant, Amber here, to speak. Do not fear, I will not assign much in the manner of homework today. The three-page report is only due in two days, after all."

He wondered what that three-page report was about. Someone made a startled sound. "What three-page report?! We haven't had homework from you in a week!"

"Oh-ho-ho! The report about Valean Grimm countermeasures, of course! I could swear that I mentioned it earlier, but alas… It might have been some of the upper year students who heard. Still, I expect it on my desk in two days!"

That would be another night of work, he guessed. It wasn't going to be super anyways.

"So, what do you think about you, me, a xiao long night out in town…"

Yang's voice whispered, as the bombastic voice of the professor started to speak about some of the Grimm that roamed the continent of Solitas, Weiss looking with faint interest yet also seemingly pointed to listen to his answer.

"I've got a meeting in the afternoon, probably until the evening though. I'm…"

He frowned, as it was a sensitive subject for Weiss. He'd best keep this under wraps.

"I'm meeting someone I'd rather not meet. It's about legal stuff."

A sympathetic sound, as she looked at him with delicate eyes that were thoughtful. There was more behind Yang than mere bust and beauty, a passion within her and a zest for life that was hard to banish. Her smile was something that could rouse someone to passion, and her eyes held that quality that was not unthinkable in a good wife.

He hoped that she'd find someone who could treat her like the princess she was.

* * *

Willow Schnee stared into the full-length mirror, adding the final touches to her makeup. Lashes done with some mascara, a touch of powder to the cheeks to make them look more presentable and a dress that held a suitable plunging neckline to show her body off to the people who were watching, yet fashionable enough to ensure that she wouldn't look like a cheap hooker.

' _You can do this. You're strong, you're sexy…'_

It was getting harder to keep pretending like everything was okay. She had broken her cool with Weiss, had said horrible things that no mother should say to the poor dear and had broken down afterwards. He had been there with her for her moment of temper, the comfort within her body given with a flash of desire. She knew, and she wondered.

Worry wasn't in her mind about the circumstances, with her eyes searching in the mirror for that pretty woman who had wished for the world. A red lipstick, something that hinted at the red of rose and the flushness of life, brushing over her lips. She would look her _best_. She would look like a _queen_ , if she had to.

"Are you done?"

Her husband's impatience was something that she could scarcely tolerate on days that she had been drunk, and even with this moment, it was something that she could only hear as the grating death knell to her own freedom.

"The picture has to be perfect, _husband_."

The man cared for nothing except his bottom line. Money could not buy happiness, she believed.

"If you can't please him, I'll have to seize his family's home through a little bit of creative economics... His mother is behind on her mortgage payments, so… A bit of a stricter hand might be needed."

She did not show her frown, yet she knew that Jaune's mother was not the most adept with the finances.

"Do ensure that you keep it _polite_ , husband. I don't think he'd like to work for you with a blade at the throat…"

She looked into the mirror and touched her lips with the tube of lipstick, lightly adding a hint more and testing her lips a little.

' _Perfection…'_

"That's why you'll be making sure that he is very pleased with us, Willow. It'll be a slight better than your performance the night before. I've had better."

She did not show anything aside from a thinning of her lips, masked by testing her makeup. Infidelity was a thing that she personally did not wish to do. Her vows had been _hers_ , rather than merely a guideline.

"I will ensure that our teenage hero will be gasping and groaning, _husband_. Do you intend to watch as you are cuckolded, or would you prefer that we tape this?"

Her voice cut, as she looked in the mirror. She was not going to be touched by him before this meeting. Anything that could rattle her or leave a mark would reflect badly on her, and they both knew it.

"I would actually have to get aroused by the sight of you, Willow. You did your duty. I have a brilliant son, all thanks to _your_ ability to spread your legs."

She closed her eyes, as the anger balled inside her belly, spreading out as she released her breath.

"I do distinctly recall you coming inside me, Jacques. I guess that might have been a mere fancy of the mind, then, like your conviction that you're able to let me orgasm."

Something hit her from behind and her head slammed against the mirror, cracking it. She groaned, looking at the shattered glass. Anger flowed through her like a living flame. She was _not_ going to be treated like this by the man she swore her vows to, but she was not in the position that held power.

"Remember that what I have given your company, I can take away, Willow. You're at most a drunken louse, modest at the negotiation table and merely a puppet mother to your daughters and son." She pulled out a mirror, noticing that her makeup was still mostly intact. She might have a bruise on her forehead in a few hours' time, but it would be okay, she supposed. She knew that such things were easier to mask with a bit of makeup.

' _I've got to weather this…'_

She would _not_ bend the knee to her husband. He looked unremorseful, as he looked at her, his expression impatient.

"Well? Come on, we'll say that you tripped or something. Heels are a nuisance, so wear them."

She'd rather wear a set of comfortable shoes, maybe sneakers or something. A brief thought about something that Weiss had ordered a few months before, some sort of sportswear, came to mind.

"As you wish, husband."

She looked her best, for her man. For her husband, not so much. It would be a public appearance for her anyways, her eyes looking as firm as they could, the cool tones of her frost-blue eyes similar to that of her daughters.

"Do _whatever_ it takes. He's still unattached to any of the major corporations."

Those words were not words that a wife should hear from her husband. The man had been inquiring about whatever wicked sex acts she'd been up to with Jaune, and she had fibbed a few of them, citing that the young man had been quite shy. It fit with what the man expected, and how Jaune would be around certain types of women.

Sienna Khan, with her brash boldness and fiery nature, was unrestrained. She held little patience within her, desiring more immediate results, a flaming temper that exploded once every so often into a rash decision, tempered with wisdom.

"I will simply sneak below the table and perform fellatio upon his teenage dick, _dear_ husband. Is that not one of those whorish clichés?"

Her voice was venomous as she spoke, checking her makeup in the mirror once more before tucking it into her handbag. The man was impatient still, as he looked her over before nodding.

"I'd rent you for the _hour_."

She supposed that it was approval, from a husband for whom she cared little more now at this point. As they sat down in the limousine, she let her finger trace over the outline of her Scroll, plucking it from the bag.

 **W.S.: Dinner with the husband and with Arc. We need to have words afterwards.**

No response was expected, as she knew well that Sienna was in one of those meetings that couldn't be delayed. The White Fang was an organization that seemed to have some different organizational structure in comparison to most human organization. Not that she should bother herself with the White Fang, as that was wholly Sienna's issue.

"Have you heard about Khan?"

She spoke up, her husband's eyebrow raising minutely, his finger brushing through his moustache. "She seems to be having some difficulty getting the organisation back into the good books after that horrible affair of a few weeks before..."

The subject was a welcome change from the look of her husband, as he mused on it. "Prices certainly have gone up with the current scarcity of Dust within the Kingdom. With the animals in their state of recovery, we can push through some labour reforms."

"Indeed."

She was not going to disagree with her husband, as the money that they made was good. With a bit of extra care, a good contract could be hashed out for the Faunus. They were not running a charity operation, though.

As the door opened and the blonde stepped in, she felt her breath freeze in her throat. He looked _quite_ dashing with his hair swept back, his clothing Atlesian-formal, just as she'd intimated to him. He made it look... _dashing_.

"Hello there, Mister Schnee, Mrs Schnee."

The shy smile on his face was utterly adorable, as her cheeks heated up a little, though it was not intentional on her part. Her husband gave her the signal that she should speak first.

The smile was more faked genuineness than the real genuine smile that she wished to wear. Her hand laid itself on his own as he seated himself next to her, the arrangement having been done specifically so that he'd be in close proximity to her.

"It's a delight to see you again, Jaune."

Her voice was a pleasant warm tone, specifically for those people that she'd need to wrap in the fuzzy blankets and lie to. She didn't want to lie to the young man, as her fingers stroked over his side, the smell of cologne and aftershave mixing together.

It was warm and masculine at the same time, as he smiled at her. Her smile was light, mimicking his own.

"Have you been... _well_?"

A question, after a _'rough night_ ' with him in the bedroom. His cheeks turned a pinkish red as he looked down, a shy look on his face that she knew was faker than fake. He wasn't happy, if his tightened muscles around his neck showed as he leaned forwards a little, giving a look at her cleavage, acting.

She pushed her chest out a little, to give him a good look at her goods on display. She was proud of her breasts. 100% natural and with no additional work done. The fact that Winter and her could be sisters in looks was also something that worked in her favour, she supposed.

"Eh, yeah. It was... It was something amazing, Mrs Schnee."

Her fingers touched his chest, feeling the muscles below the cloth. She wished to touch more, without clothing in the way. He struck an imposing figure, if properly dressed.

"I told you to call me Willow. I'm not someone who would like to be addressed formally after sharing the bed with a young man."

She wanted him to call her names if he so desired. Sienna was more into that sort of stuff, knowing what got her going, but she wasn't against a hint of wanton lustful purring and growling...

' _My, the things I would do to you with a chair, some silken cloth and a set of smooth velvet gloves...'_

She licked over her lips, looking into his eyes. He had flushed, as he should.

"Willow, I'm..."

She glanced at her husband, the half-smug smile on his face showing little of the temper that he had, as she pushed herself back against the cushions of the seat, allowing her male young companion a good look. "A _good_ boy." Her voice teased, as her finger brushed over his chest in a circle.

He caught on, letting her lead. He remembered some of the things that she'd learned, as her finger brushed over him. It was a slow and delicate brush of that finger, wiggling slowly.

"A good boy who's..."

Her finger stopped at his lower abdomen, doing a slow slalom over those muscles below the skin. Her husband would see the seduction, yet the performance was hers and her young blonde companion.

"Getting what he _wants_."

Her body scooted a little closer, as she acted. Her hand slid down, laying on his thigh. A slight pout of her red lips, as her pale hair fell, the curl of a few loose strands arranged perfectly, as she supported herself with her other hand, so as to not lose that hint.

"Did it feel good when you came, Jaune?"

Her voice was a sultry purr, as her finger stroked over a cheek. "Did this _old_ woman make it feel _wonderful_?" She knew that she was playing with flame and fire, her eyes glinting at the sight of his heated cheeks.

"It was..." He paused, looking at her. He was floundering, as his coloured cheeks seemed to be even redder.

 _"Amazing."_

She let a little smile slip to her lips as she leaned forward, inhaling the smell of his body and the cologne. "My... We'll have to slip onto the dance floor again sometimes, Mister Arc... Show me some moves?" A bit of dancing never really went awry with her.

"If you'd... if you'd like?"

He sounded a little confused, but a little glance down showed that he was _most_ entertained. Her hand dropped down, most unceremoniously and she _grabbed_ a hold of him.

"Oh, I _liked_... Did I..."

He couldn't suppress the shiver, as her fingers gripped, nails that had nail polish on it worth a medium-sized family's weekly food budget sliding over that engorged length. She squeezed a little. A little shuddering gasp came from his lips, as she pushed herself closer, her eyes looking into his own as her fingers slowly scraped down.

"Mister Arc..."

A voice that was her best, as her fingers slowly ran down. She could feel the pulse, as she looked into his eyes. There was a yearning, there was that craving, as she let her fingers go down and then _pushed_ a little.

"Do enjoy dinner with my husband and I. I am sure that we will have an... _enjoyable_ time."

His eyes firmed up and she felt that shudder go through her, as his hand grabbed her own. The throb-pulse-throb below her fingers was alive, as her hand was pulled away by him.

"Indeed, Mrs Schnee. I hope to... enjoy it."

It was pleasant to see those firm eyes looking into her own, as she moved back, the innocent naivety of a young man pushed to the forefront of those eyes again.

' _I'd almost forget that my husband was with us...'_

The man was giving her a look that showed he was pleased with her whorishness, if that was even the case. The eyes of a man who was below her in every respect aside from his ability to monetize, eyes that looked at her as if she was just another financial transaction.

She wanted the young man seated next to her. His hand grabbed her thigh and squeezed, as he smiled at her.

"Thank you."

Whether it was a thank you dedicated to her or an insult, she would accept it. Her lips came to that natural smile of hers and she nodded slowly, the flushing of her cheeks not faked, though her husband would scarcely notice the difference. It was that intimacy that she craved, as her fingers brushed lightly over his own.

"If you two wish to abscond to her quarters, I can make the arrangements after dinner, Mister Arc."

Her husband's voice doused her desire with ice-water, as the hand didn't remove itself from her thigh, though her fingers stopped for an instant. The hesitant smile, the little coy acting grin that came to her lips, it all was the play put on for the benefit of the man who held her in chains of matrimony.

"Ah... If we could? I mean, I don't want to make things awkward between the two of you."

She wanted him to make things awkward, to make a scene. She wanted him to just grab her and ravish her like some dingy Mantlean hooker on a corner. To look into her husband's eyes and make him _know_ that his wife liked a man much younger than him, who gave her a sated feeling whenever he was there.

"A little quid pro quo, there are after all, still some deals to be made."

Her husband was always thinking about his image, about the company's image. Nothing like love would feature in his heart...

"I'm open to listening to those offers, Mister Schnee." Jaune acted eager, but...

' _You would have been so easy to play if you hadn't been so special to me. A young teenager, this body... If I did not have my vows...'_

She couldn't feel him. She had made a vow and she would see it through. Her husband was very peculiar about his security. In Vale slightly less than in Atlas, yet the thought of being rid of the man was intoxicating. It would need to be subtle... But that was the issue.

"During our dinner, Mister Arc. A good meal for a good deal."

A conspiratorial wink, as her husband looked at her. She smiled, as was expected. "And my wife's a steal." The joke would land better with older people, but Jacques had definitely pegged Jaune as someone who was more moral than he was.

"Well, she is a very pretty woman. Your daughters too, though I must say that Specialist Schnee was most displeased with me."

He'd run afoul of her eldest daughter, undoubtedly. It would not be something that would easily be smoothed out, but she might cut into the subject if she met with her daughter again...

"Winter knows not what is best for her. Such a wilful girl, going into the military in order to serve Atlas."

The man's low opinion of Winter was well-known, and Jaune kept an even face, as the door was opened for them.

"After you, Willow."

He used her name warmly for once, to foster the image that they were getting along well. It was a lie, bought for and paid by the heartlessness that he showed her.

She was nothing but a puppet, a wife that occasionally received his lusts and cravings. As she took his arm like a dutiful wife, she took note of their surroundings. An upscale restaurant's personal garage, the limousine put properly in the slot.

Their personal server was a woman of perhaps twenty-one years old, her brown hair done up in an elegant style. She could see that Jaune was pretending to be impressed by the surroundings, as if it was all new to him. Playing the uncultured brute might be something that he would afford...

She wouldn't care where they ate, what they ate or if they ate. As long as she was around him, she could feel that spark of happiness inside her, that void slowly filling. He ordered a light soup, something that went down easily, and something heavier for the next dish. The server easily took the order, not letting her personal opinion show, as her husband ordered something lighter. He wouldn't eat too heavily for the evening, knowing of the meeting he had afterwards.

She ordered a heavier and spicier soup, some grilled meat and a light dish with potatoes and a dash of the sauce that they'd had as a trademark. Dipping the meat into the sauce added that little bittersweet touch to it.

After they had ordered, Jacques cut immediately to business, the attention of Jaune partially on her husband and partially on her. It felt nice to be wanted, yet her ears were attentive, listening to several of the offers that had been offered. Not bad offers, for the young man to take as a tentative little entrance into the world of adults.

"Are you sure that it would be a good thing? I mean, I don't know much about the financial stuff, I'm just... me."

His humbleness may be one of the traits that she appreciated the most at times like this. Jacques smiled paternally, giving one of those looks that he'd undoubtedly practised in the mirror for when he needed to be the 'Father' of the household.

"Everyone has their talent, Jaune. Take it from me... I was once the son of a mere merchant and now, I am the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company."

There was a hint of pride in the tone of her husband, as the man fixed Jaune with that look with no care for the thoughts that roamed in Jaune's head.

"Is it really okay?"

The indecision in his voice was cultivated, she knew. It wouldn't be logical for him to be indecisive, given how he had tamed Sienna Khan. To hear Sienna talk about how she was made love to galled her, yet she listened nevertheless. The little hints and teasing comments, the light in those feral animalistic eyes of the Faunus, the little half-whimper at the memory of something.

"Of course. I've got a few contacts in places where you might find a good financial expert would make things a lot clearer. Your mother has been struggling to hold on to the house, what with six sisters still living at the house... Allow me to offer a referral. A nice man, able to ensure that your newly obtained wages will go towards supporting her as well as getting those nasty debts cleared away."

Jacques didn't threaten the boy, but went the paternal route. She would have gone the maternal route first and foremost, rather than to be a 'friend'. It worked better with single male children or heirs to a fortune. A little bit of skin, a good tough bit of meat to put in front of them to bite into and they'd be like putty in your hands.

"If you think that's best."

She might've referred the man herself, if she'd thought about the situation that Jaune's family was in. She hadn't thought about it, though.

As the dishes were put in front of them and Jaune's signature rested on another contract, her husband's body language told her that he'd like to speak with her. Their server stood at a modest distance away, and Jaune got up, having gotten the clue.

"I've got to head to the bathroom for a moment, Mister Schnee. Sorry."

The man's paternal smile was as fake as the tan on some women, as she watched carefully for any other expression that might clue her in to his mood, his fingers brushing right over his fork.

"Good job, Willow. He's convinced. It seems that using Weiss and you to ply him was a good decision."

Praise from her husband, not as well-received by her as she'd ever want it. There was no pride, as she looked coolly at her husband.

"A wise decision, to fool a gullible young man into a contract that would make him essentially ours, product-wise." She threw back at him, as the man scoffed.

"You're at least putting your body to good use. Weiss cried when she was told to spread her legs. The girl should stop that Huntress foolishness and work on her career as a singer. There is much more merchandise to be sold from a popular singer than from some Huntress whose appearance will fade."

She would ideally have liked that Weiss would stay far from danger, yet the girl had been stubborn and had decided to train to become a Huntress. It would not have been something that would have elicited much comment from her drunken state at that time, yet now...

"Not everyone can be what you wish them to be, _husband_."

She knew that the cutting comments were best left behind in the privacy, as his eyes looked at her with the cool gaze of a man who knew what he wanted of the world. Jaune returned, and the smile returned.

It was time for the main course.

She dreaded to think about what her husband might have wished to convey to her.

* * *

Sienna looked at the groaning people below her as she stepped onto the stage again, her leadership still assured. A certain measure of decorum was within the position as she let her gaze rest on the beaten Faunus below her, her body still battered, yet not broken. She was still the tiger that led the pack, the one who made the decisions.

"High Leader, what is your bidding?"

The respectful question came from one of the higher-ups, currently nursing a bruised cranium from the fellow that she'd grabbed and used as a club at one point during the fighting, her eyes coolly regarding the Faunus that were scattered around.

"Get cleaned up. I've got some business to handle that none of you would be able to do. Don't make me come back here, or else..."

Beating a hundred Faunus was good for keeping in shape and it kept the number of rivals low. Once they were thoroughly introduced to the power of the High Leader, they would not get such uppity thoughts. It had not been like this under Ghira, though it was somewhat like it, as she ran a towel through her hair.

She noticed that a few messages had appeared on her Scroll, checking the time. As she rubbed the towel over her head, she knew that she'd need to take a quick shower before she was presentable once more. A pity, yet something that could not be delayed.

' _Nearly ten... Perhaps it'll be okay to give Jaune a call or something...'_

She was peculiar about her human. Eve stood there at the stage, not having participated in the brawl. If the girl was anything, it was loyal to the cause of the Faunus, though her pacifism was something that was not agreed with.

She saw the message from Winter Schnee and checked it out, the words making a grin appear on her face.

 **I did it, thank you for the advice**.

The stuffy Specialist had obviously taken her advice. There was a picture included as well and she glanced at it for a moment. A selfie, with something nice and firm there. Sienna had seen dick before, obviously. She was the proud woman of someone who had one that pleased her.

' _Perhaps I should give her some advice?'_

It was a favour to Willow, she supposed. If Winter did not listen to her, it would be hardly anything of an issue.

 **Make him happy enough to stick around. Let him know who the owner of his manhood is, by scratching your mark into him.**

A bold statement, yet one that the girl would appreciate. It would not be unfeasible. Willow had a minor kink for being ravished by a strong stud of a man. They'd had _talks_ about such things, whilst properly inebriated.

"We should get ready, Sienna. We've got two more places to go to." Sienna Khan grinned, looking at Eve.

"Let's knock em out and knock em silly, Cow girl."

The short nod was the only acknowledgement that she got, as she watched her friend get the bag. She wanted a shower, but beating down the morons until they remembered who the boss bitch was had been required.

' _No tolerance for morons who think they know better...'_

She was a proud Faunus who loved her people more than many others would think. She would make the world a better place for the children she would have in the future, and nobody would be able to deny that Sienna Khan was the top predator in the jungle. The White Fang in other places would be tamed by her other acquaintances and lieutenants... But Vale was her stalking ground now.

* * *

It was not fair. Jaune had ran off to some meeting and now she was sitting with Weiss in their dorm room, both looking at the other. Weiss looked at her with suspicious eyes, as she gave an equally suspicious look right back.

"Oh yeah? He wasn't looking at _you_ , Weiss! I could see his eyes look at me, because I've got actual curves rather than being flat like a _boy_! Are you _sure_ you're not hiding a Schneenis below that skirt of yours, or do you still need to hit that growth spurt to get some _actual_ tits?!"

She puffed herself up a little, showing her proud chest. She wasn't as loud usually, but Weiss was just cramping her style. Jaune had just went off to a meeting, though he'd looked a little uncomfortable when Weiss said that she'd like to accompany him, if he needed it.

Weiss made him uncomfortable and Yang didn't like that. "At least _I_ don't look like I walk the streets, Xiao Long! Who has milky cow breasts and looks like she's got seven or so boys around her at all times? _You_! He'd like someone like me, _unspoiled_ and _refined_!"

"You can just... eh..." Blake received their glare, and she shrank back.

"Hush you, _you_ don't know what you're talking about."

The sentence came out of both their mouth at the same time, their gazes meeting and they turned their nose up at the same time, Weiss looking like an uppity little tart, just like her older sister Winter.

"Your sister's been strutting around Beacon like she owns the place... Going to pay him to make love to you too, Weissy?"

Colour flashed onto Weiss' cheek, as she looked at her. The Dust Rapier called Myrtenaster was in her hand, varying its colours slowly as she thumbed the Dust cycler.

"Sometimes, you'd need to get _hands-on_ , Yang. Not that you'd know, I bet you've got more calluses on your palms due to those guys you keep beating up. Nobody likes a rampaging gorilla with mega mammaries, Yang! A calm, refined girl, that's what boys like!"

The girl was talking out of her ass! Yang had never had an issue with getting attention. "What're you going to do? Zap him and put him in a room and then make us two get him horny?"

That was a thought. She could see Weiss considering it for a moment, as she looked at her with a thoughtful expression on that face of hers.

' _Fuck, she's actually considering it... I mean, I'd like my first time to be with a guy I like and Jaune is pretty much... yeah...'_

"If it comes to that."

Weiss said, as she grabbed a fresh Dust shard full of lightning Dust, socketing it into the rapier.

"Sometimes, a man needs to be shown no other alternative."

"I want his babies." Blake added, and the both of them turned their attention back to Blake.

"Okay, maybe just three. Mom approves."

"He will be with the best girl that suits him the most!" Weiss said, Ruby looking horribly lost.

"Yeah, _me_! Tits for days and someone who'll _swallow_ , rather than _spit_!"

Weiss looked lost with the terminology, as she mustered more of her resolve.

"I will show him the _peaks_ of Atlesian high society and let him _dredge_ my mine out with his fine drill! Let's decide this on Sunday. I'll ask mother whether we can go to a spa and take him along. Shopping can be done on Saturday... Let the _best_ woman win."

Yang grinned back. If it was sex appeal, she'd be making a damn killing. Little miss no-tits couldn't win against her Xiao Long assault bumpers! Weiss extended her hand and Yang took it.

"You're on! The one who gets him to admit to her that he likes her wins."

Yang had the sneaky suspicion that she'd pull ahead. If Weiss had been denied once, he'd probably deny her again. Weiss looked at her with that challenge, as she clicked the Dust Rapier's magazine back into place.

"I will deliver this back to my locker. It'll put a Grimm out of commission for good with this Dust loadout. You should invest in Lightning Dust shells for people pacification. It would make it easier for you to subdue people non-lethally."

She might just take that advice. She was a thrilling enough person as it was, but a bit of thunder and lightning added? She'd enter with a flash and a Yang!

* * *

He watched Willow's expression as he stood at the airship dock, her features lightly set in that smile that was warm yet did not meet those eyes of hers in the slightest, her gaze resting on him with that half-pleading expression.

He disliked the man, hating him for the things he did to his wife. It would be time for action soon, he knew. Jacques Schnee would get what he deserved. If the time and the place matched...

"I'll be meeting with you again tomorrow then, Mister Schnee. I look forward to seeing what we can discuss then."

Willow took some heart in that, her smile turning warmer still, with her eyes gazing at him as if he'd just told her that he would marry her.

The desire was there, but he knew that she was a woman of tradition. He embarked on one of the airships and watched as the husband and wife couple disappeared in the distance, feeling strongly for the woman.

He was making his way to the dorms when he heard a heavier tread of footsteps behind him, and something just hit him in the back, a sharp metal point pricking right into his back. The three lightning-Dust crystals that were discharged into him knocked him faster than you could say 'Ambush'.

Jaune hit the ground like a sack of bricks, out like a light.

He slowly became aware again, aware of something that smelled a little like the finer stuff of a woman's perfume, a floral scent that his mind registered as Atlesian Elderberry musk, an inelegant perfume, yet rather pricy. A warm and tingling feeling went through him, as he felt the heat around his lower body increase.

He opened his eyes, tugging lightly on his arms and feeling a very pleasant sensation slide up and down before a coolness hit him in his groin, a faint little click-snap of what sounded like a Scroll taking a picture audible to his ears. His head slowly turned towards the hands, restrained at his sides. He was spread-eagled and most decidedly unclothed, and his gaze lowered as warmth suddenly wrapped around his groin once more.

He blinked, quite unsure whether he was seeing this right. Teeth moved then and he gave a low groan, as a choke-suckling sound was felt and he felt his attention fade. Willow had been a tease earlier, but this was a _lot_ more forward than he'd expected from a member of the Schnee family.

He looked into Winter Schnee's cool blue eyes, her lips just about at the base of his groin. Her top was gone and he could see a set of full breasts, perhaps just a size smaller than Willow's own, the nipples perky and definitely hard there. Blue eyes looked at him and she _swallowed_ once. Her hands laid on his chest, as if to press him down and keep him down.

' _Fuck.'_

Then she started to _move_ her head. He just moaned, to which his blue-eyed Schnee companion of carnality gave him one of those patented looks of excellence, and went down deep.

* * *

 **Willow and Weiss both had a close encounter, but Winter comes to a head. Sienna Khan, best advisor for love-related issues ever! Also: Don't sexually assault people, like she's doing. That's bad, m'kay?**

 **Leave a review! Let me know what you thought of the chapter!**


	41. Swan Lake

**Chapter 41: Swan Lake**

 **Winter always had her eye on Jaune. Qrow eh... Yeah. He went for a date but got manhandled.**

* * *

Jaune watched as Winter's lips slid down once more, his gaze going to the restraints that kept him there. Simple ones, enough to keep him there but not something that couldn't be broken. He powered his strength up, before he would get to that level where he'd be lost. With how aggressive Sienna was about his manhood, he had a good bit of experience about lasting a little while before he'd pop his top.

"Well, I won't admit that this was usually the case..."

He started to talk, the woman's head pulling up for air, and to speak. Cool blue eyes looked at him as her hand grabbed a hold of him, the pale fingers that had shown the strength of someone who had been at active status in the Atlesian military for nearly three years.

"Someone gave me the advice that I should just go for it. Is this not to your _liking_ , Mister Arc?"

He'd probably like it a little more if he was able to move, tugging a little at the restraints. He looked at Winter and his manhood responded to a slow tug that she gave.

"Well, it does sort of put a man on edge to find himself with a fetching young woman in the same room."

A glare, a look that her mother had mastered before the age of twenty-nine, sent at him. She didn't stop, as she continued with the teasing, keeping him on edge. For the first time, he cursed the fact that Willow and Winter could be practically twins, except some of the differences in their facial features.

"I was given the advice to just ensure that you would be mine. And so, I shall. We shall proceed to get intimate, Mister Arc. I will not be denied, as you have proven to be someone who seems to be slippery in the art of engagement."

A smile that wouldn't misstand on her mother's face was on her face, as she rose.

' _By the gods...'_

She was _dripping_. It was just his luck that he'd have to suffer Winter in such a mood. She crawled on top of him and he was quite distinctly aware that he was not wearing a condom. His aura swelled and his muscles tensed. She smirked at him, giving his manhood a light push with her body. Pale skin met a sensitive member and he shivered.

"Oh, it's _futile_..."

The restraints were shoddily knotted and non-Huntsman-grade. They snapped with a twist and his hands grabbed her, pulling her down. A squeak, something of a beastly growl coming from his mouth and Winter was on her back, his greater strength and size showing clearly that he was the one that was currently more in control.

Her breathing became heavier as she flushed, her cheeks were hot and her eyes looked into his own, her nipples harder than he'd imagined them to be, his hands grabbing her hands. She was pushing against his chest, but not using her full strength.

' _She's...'_

He pinned her hands above her head with a single hand and she didn't force the issue. Her breathing was harsher and rougher, her eyes looking with that hint of defiance and desire. This definitely was _not_ a woman who enjoyed _control._

' _Gods, she's-'_

"W-well, you've g-got me..."

He developed a small twitch in his eye as she looked at him, hornier than an alley cat in heat. He'd almost pity her if it wasn't his virtue (whatever he had left after riding the tiger) in danger. She looked at him with a daring expression, trying to provoke him.

"G-gonna _fuck_ me, _Arc_?"

Her eyes looked at him with a challenge, his face closer to hers than before. There was some sort of manic energy inside her eyes, something that had been building up for a while. His finger stroked over her cheek, her eyes looking at him with a look, a shiver going through her body.

"Come on, you _weakling_... You've got Winter Schnee at your _mercy,_ why _aren't_ you doing what all of you boys want to do at your age?"

He smirked, looking down at her and his hand seized her throat and squeezed. She quivered, his eyes kept on her facial features, not going down. She growled at him, her lower body giving a slow buck.

"Do you _really_ think that you're good enough for me, Winter?"

Eyes blazed with anger, as she looked at him with that look that could cut stone with a glare. He wasn't hugely impressed. Sienna looked fiercer when she was tearing into her upper management leaders, literally.

"Oh, the little heiress that was passed over for her little sister, the military _brat_..."

The finger slid over her face. Her breathing picked up as her features snarled up at him.

"Do you really think that boys want to sleep with someone like you? Do you really think that I'd just roll over and want to have you suck my cock?"

She clearly had thought so, because there was something in those eyes, as his finger pushed into her mouth. Instinctively, she seemed to suck on it, undoubtedly caused by the situation.

"No, _Winter_."

His voice was soft, as his finger pushed deeper into her mouth. "Why would I want someone who's not got the experience, huh? I fucked your mother last night. I fucked Weiss... What does a virgin have to offer that her younger sister and her mother could not?"

Rage showed on her face, as she tried to put some strength in her motions, the pushy girl that she had been at age twelve showing once more, as the arousal slowly faded. Thinking about Winter as Willow did was the right option. Just putting the girl in her place, instead of letting her have whatever she wanted. "See?" He got up, showing her how he was.

"You're not even _appealing_."

Blue eyes looked at him and promised bloody murder, as she started to cuss at him. He was looking around whilst she was distracted with insulting his masculinity, knowing that he'd better get his pants back on before he'd get out of here.

"Many men would love to claim that they fucked Winter Schnee! I've had _offers_!"

He looked down at her and shook his head, grabbing her head, his palm pressing against her forehead and pushing it down against the bed, keeping her pinned there. Blue eyes looked at him.

"Why _haven't_ you? Are you still that scared girl that crawled in her mother's bed when the explosions Dust from the defences around Atlas got too loud for you?"

Her eyes widened. That was not a memory that she'd ever shared with anyone else, not even Weiss had known of that. He knew only because Willow had valued the time with her daughter. Winter had been eleven still and it had been a very heavy assault.

She trembled and he sighed. This wasn't the right way to go about it, but she was going in a direction that wasn't _good_ for her.

"Winter, sexually assaulting someone isn't the way to live your life. I'm very flattered that you'd do something like this with me, but-"

"She _told_ you? That stupid drunkard b-"

He smacked her in the face before she could finish that sentence. Willow had more love for her daughters than both knew, and he'd seen her at her lowest before. His eyes bored into hers, anger flaring in them. She quivered under his gaze as he fixed her with his best glare. The anger bled out in those eyes and there was fear.

"I'm _leaving,_ Winter. When you manage to grow up to be an adult, _perhaps_ we can talk again, but I will inform my team about this. Don't you _dare_ blame your mother for this. She's more of a _woman_ than you _ever_ will be with this attitude."

He let go of the woman's hands, watching the broody angry look on the woman's face. She had to gather herself, he knew. Winter and Weiss were both cut from a similar cloth. They took a moment to gather themselves.

It was really Winter's ugliest trait, the constant anger inside her that she kept bottled up. Anger at her mother, anger at her father and having to live under the rigid ordered lifestyle of the Atlesian military. Together with her inability to admit her own wrongdoing and her pride, it made for a mess.

" _Fuck_ you, Arc! Here I try to give you pleasure and maybe get some entertainment out of it, and you dare to deny me?!"

He went for his pants, aware of her body moving around behind him, his eyes looking at her with raw anger in them. He didn't see the girl that she had been as a pre-teen, but rather the woman that had gotten a career and sterling results solely on her being a Schnee.

"Go fuck some random guy then, Winter. Do like your mother does in your eyes and drown yourself in alcohol! I'm _sick_ of you acting like you never had puberty hit you and daddy and mommy didn't just have a row and mommy was slinking off to her rooms with a new bruise to finish her bottle."

He felt something hit him in the back of the head, thrown by Winter, an angry sound from behind him as he stepped into his pants.

"And you know what the _worst_ thing is, Winter? You _violated_ the military oath you took. You're a criminal now. _Proud_ Winter Schnee, aide to General Ironwood, accused of raping a student who was nominally under her control through the Vytal protection act."

He was getting annoyed with her. She was being a _brat_. He could forgive the sucking of his cock or the threat, but the acting like she was giving him some precious gift when he had a girlfriend that regularly needed a hot hard rough roll in the sack was just something that he couldn't condone... or just insulting her mother. Willow did not need to hear such angry words from her oldest daughter.

"Then fucking _do_ it, Arc. I was stupid to trust Khan's advice on how to get a man."

He pressed his lips together tightly, as he looked at her with disgust in his eyes. Sienna was a lot of things, and she could be one hell of a woman when she was in a mood, but she was _not_ someone who didn't know what consent was.

"She may be aggressive as hell, she STILL knows how consent works, Winter. When she's with me, I don't have to worry about being stabbed in the back and waking up to find some frosty snow cunt with her lips on my balls trying to act out some slutty Mistralian porno comic!"

Her eyes did not understand, nor did she seem reasonable. Getting up and walking right at him, she poked him with a finger. Her eyes did not shy away from him, as she looked him in the eyes.

"I'm a _Schnee_ and I will _get_ what I _want_ , Arc. It's _your_ word against _mine._ "

He looked her in the eyes and knew that she'd said something she'd regret. A savage smirk settled on his face as he grabbed a hold of her breasts and then twisted the nipples. The shriek was loud enough to rattle the window, as he looked at her face, just twisting the nipples.

"You're a _bad_ daughter, Winter. You're just like your _father_ , always trying to get what you want. Are you going to cry now to daddy because the big bad Arc didn't fuck you? Boo-hoo Winter, do you _really_ think your father would care, after he's _whored_ your mother out to me twice?"

He found his Scroll and clicked it on, going to the part where he had the recordings. He played the one where he had been in the car with Jacques. Winter's eyes looked aghast, as she looked at him, his eyes staring straight into him.

"You're _just_ like him, Winter. I hope you're _happy_ now, the little girl that loved her mother is now becoming just like her father. I wonder, if we were to date, whether you'd whore me out as well to some upper class socialite? Or whether Weiss would be wearing a nice frilly dress as she's shared as some party favour?"

Her eyes blazed with something inside them, as she got up. Her chest heaved, her eyes sparked with that anger that was characteristic for her.

"No! If I were to love a man, I'd make sure that he was _mine_!"

The statement was pretty Sienna-like with how it was phrased, the anger in her voice showing through in her eyes. He nodded. He could see where she was coming from, even if he did not agree.

"Selfish little girls want to keep what they've gotten... Are you really _that_ selfish, Winter? Would you keep me, if I decided that you were worth dating?"

She made a snarling sound, and he was reminded of Sienna before he would be pounced upon. She was readying herself for something like that.

"Your father would just _love_ that, you know? One guy, fucking his whole family. He's already got me signed up for some products. Are you going to be daddy's little _whore_ too?"

She leapt at him and he cast a time delay glyph around her, just enough to barely be noticeable, yet slow her down enough, as his arms grabbed her, bracing himself against the wall and then slamming her down on the ground.

"If I was your father I'd put you over my knee and spank you until you started to make sense, Winter. You're a brat, a child that never grew out of wanting to get every little toy for herself and bullying everyone around her."

He looked into the irate woman's eyes, her breathing heavy, as he peered into those depths. She was frothing at the mouth nearly, angry and irritated.

"And you know what? I'd _still_ be a better dad than your own. You wouldn't get a chance to act out like this, when I'm your father."

He let go of her, but she didn't react, her eyes looking darkly at him. " _Get out_." She hissed, her voice hurt and angry, the moody Winter returning once more.

"Going to drown your sorrows in a bottle, just like dear ol' mother? Are you going to cry into your pillow because you've had your first taste of a cock? Oh _no_ , the guy said _no_... He must be _wrong!_ "

She didn't respond still, looking at him. "And you know what, Winter? You want to know what Sienna Khan said to you? That we should send you back to Atlas on maternity leave."

His hand patted her stomach, his eyes boring into her own. There was something in her eyes, a fear that he could see in her eyes, something that was dark and primal, a fear that most women had. He looked fierce, he knew. She was intimidated, because it was a _threat._

' _You really need to know your limits, Winter.'_

"I'm _really_ tempted to see whether I can make you into a better mother than you think your own mother is, Winter. And guess what? Your daddy wouldn't even _stop_ me. And then, he'd take the baby away from you to raise if it's a _boy_ , because he knows that women are _useless."_

He wasn't serious with such an offer. He wouldn't dare to do that to a daughter of Willow, but he was _through_ with Winter's bratty behaviour. The words had an effect. He knew Jacques Schnee well from the perspective that his wife had on him. Willow was not stupid, and she knew that her daughters were never more than a bargaining chip on the table of negotiations.

She was going to make a wrong decision and he wouldn't let her do something like that. He loved her mother too much to let the daughters that she'd gotten from a piece of trash with the Lien-scent as a perfume go to such depths.

"But?!"

She tried, but he smacked her cheek again, a red print on the cheek starting to show. He was done with her bratty attitude. He could take a lot of things but Winter had just shattered most of his patience.

"Your father hits your mother like this, doesn't he? She had a bruise on her face the last time I saw. Do you want me to start practising how to beat on you, Winter? Do you want to cry into the pillow whilst the father of your children takes you like your mother was taken?"

He got up, looking down at her. "You're worth _more_ than someone like Jacques Schnee as a father, Winter." He shook his head at her as he turned around. He just had to get out of here before she'd leap at him again.

"Wait!"

He pushed open the door and then shut it behind her, hearing her shout at him, breaking into a sprint. He wasn't going to be chased after by a Schnee whilst he was not armed in the slightest. They had a Haste Glyph that could make them faster than he could run.

* * *

Here he was, shirtless and without shoes, running like a madman through the darkened halls of Beacon. He checked the clock on the CCT tower for the time, noticing that it was nearly twelve.

' _This should just be easy... Not many people around at this time...'_

Luck was not on his side, the Scroll in his pocket starting to buzz. He continued moving, pulling it out of his pocket, looking at the cheeky expression on Amber's face, the surroundings behind her.

"Hey there, hunky and funky... Check behind you."

He turned around to see Amber sitting nearby on one of the benches, her staff half-disassembled next to her. He noticed several Dust crystals already being socketed into the staff, used to augment her powers in different ways.

"You should really watch when you're going half-streaking."

His disapproval showed on his face, as her eyes looked at something and she smiled.

"Busy time with the ladies, huh?"

He grimaced. Winter Schnee was not going to like him much for the next few days or maybe for the rest of her time here. He'd probably been kicked to the top of her hate list with that last action. She'd insulted her mother though, which wasn't something that he could tolerate.

' _No matter how much you can hate me, you should not underestimate how much your mother sacrifices for the two of you.'_

He sat down next to her with his back facing hers, keeping an eye on the direction that he'd come from in anticipation of the Schnee Specialist coming for him, trusting that with Amber around, he'd at the very least not have to bother with the fuss of what Winter Schnee would kick up.

"Yeah, did the lack of a shirt and shoes clue you in, or was it just the fact that I'm out here at this late hour, Amber?"

His voice held annoyance, as he could imagine the cheeky smile on her lips, the small fake whip-crack sound that she did with her lips not even making him smile. She leaned against him, her fingers clicking the staff together.

"Oh, and here I thought Glynda Gee-Double-Eww just got you out for a hot love-making session. She's really got a nice rack, don't you think?"

He didn't respond for a moment, thinking about the teacher and what indeed was a _very_ nice set of frontal assets. Glynda Goodwitch, if she had went for a modelling contract, would have been a household name, especially with that fierce look in her eyes.

"I'm _not_ going to invoke danger by talking about one of my professors, a woman that I respect as an educator, like she is a piece of meat. She does have a very nice aesthetic, but I reckon that I should stick within my lane."

He heard a pouty sound come from her, as much as she could at this point in time, with her staff assembled again slowly.

"That's a pity. I bet that she'd _really_ like to give you detention. A _hot_ and _heavy_ detention, aye?"

" _Amber...!"_

He groaned, knowing that Amber and Glynda had been at odds ever since they'd met each other. It had been hate at first sight, with Amber making a wise-crack about Glynda's nice set of sweater-puppies and wanting to put em to work and Glynda not having any of that. It was really something that he didn't really like.

"You should just _try_ to make peace with the woman. She's a good professor, she's teaching me a lot of things about tactics and other stuff." He was sure that the woman would rather have taught something else though. She seemed the type to be more nurturing, a smile on his face as he imagined her teaching a class of children. She was a teacher that explained things in a no-nonsense tone.

"Yeah, you're a regular ol' student. She should watch out for you. One little misstep and she'll wake up with a headache and your dick in her." He smacked her in the back of her head, keeping his gaze trained on the direction he'd come from. Winter Schnee would need about a minute or three to dress, given her usual punctual standards for attire, before she'd come to track him down.

Being with the Fall Maiden would allow him a moment of respite from the Schnee woman, because Amber, as far as it went in the hierarchy of power, trumped Winter.

"Whilst I cannot deny that she is a gorgeous woman, I will not do something like that. You _know_ who I am dating and well, to say that I'm interested in her best friend as well would be no untrue statement. Professor Goodwitch is a nice woman, a bit strict and perhaps a little uptight, but I don't think that I'd abuse the trust of my girlfriend by sleeping with her, even if she wants me to."

A clearing of the throat that most definitely did not belong to Amber came from behind him and he turned around and found that Professor Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch had somehow arrived with less sound than he'd imagined. He'd accuse them of being ninja's, but it might just have been the grogginess from being hit by the Schnee zapper that Winter had used.

"Whilst I am flattered that you would consider me a gorgeous woman, I am quite dedicated to my work at Beacon to engage in relations with a student."

There was a strict tone to the woman's voice, as her green eyes glowered at him behind those glasses. "As Miss Autumn undoubtedly knows, I would _imagine_. A gutter needs to be emptied, Amber... perhaps you should just go for the medical facilities to see whether the leaves are all cleaned out of your drainage ditch."

He looked at Amber, whose eyes did not change much, the glance at him light and teasing before she clicked the final part into place.

"How about we tag team him, eh? Gee-Gee, I think you're-"

The body rose up and he sighed. The headmaster gave a mild smile to him as he straightened his outfit out.

"You're looking a little under-dressed there, Mister Arc. Had a run-in with Specialist Schnee?"

The man remained calm as someone started to shout curses at a 'stuffy blonde porno librarian type', Jaune tuning out the Glynda-Amber match.

"Why... eh, yes? How do you know?"

The man simply gave an amused smile. "Do look at your chest, Mister Arc. Whilst I am not inclined to prefer men, I would imagine that a woman would do no small thing to a young man she enjoyed the company of."

He looked at his stomach, where _SCHNEE_ had been put, in a series of hickeys, vertically.

' _This is going to be annoying to explain to Sienna.'_

"Yes, she sort of eh... went for aggressive negotiations. Not the first time I've had to-"

He ducked as Amber flew over his head and Glynda stomped after her, the woman's fine rear distracting him for a moment. "make sure that I got out of a tight spot by using some force."

"It might help you to realize that my deputy is most certainly _not_ trying to kill Amber. I hope at least that she won't kill her. Glynda, could you leave her intact? We are due for a meeting with James."

The blonde woman's Semblance cut out and Amber dropped down, her staff floating above the heap of dark-skinned Maiden. Amber picked herself up slowly, grumbling something about humourless blonde good bitches.

"Mister Arc, I do hope that you do not take the word of Amber seriously. She is known for her..."

The woman gave a disapproving stern look to the Maiden, who got herself properly standing once more.

" _Ribald_ ways and views on such intimate stuff. Do _not_ presume that I would wish to secure a student for my bedroom dalliances."

He smiled at her, glad that the woman wasn't as crude as Amber was. If she'd really been something like Amber had claimed, he'd have been in serious danger. Glynda Goodwitch's Semblance was something that he did not really like to tackle without backup.

"Have a great night, Mister Arc... And do enjoy your sleep."

The headmaster said, the Fall Maiden grumbling a good night as she followed right behind the headmaster, Professor Goodwitch smiling at him with a mysterious smile on her lips, her voice a little lower, barely higher than a whisper, directly intended to be heard by his ears.

" _You're_ free meat _after_ graduation, after all. It's _just_ a few years..."

He felt a ghostly hand grope over his buttocks, as the Professor gave him a wink and a slow run of her tongue over her lips and then walked after her superior, leaving him to feel slightly more violated than he had been before. He could see that she was just biding her time.

' _Do I have older lady catnip attached to my butt or something?'_

He was now uncomfortably aroused.

* * *

She didn't like this one bit!

Weiss had gone and stolen a march on her and she was trying her best to find something that'd blow his socks off. Searching through the closet was just futile, as nothing would just give that oomph that she wanted to give.

' _Why do I have to challenge someone who could probably have a bathtub full of Lien at her disposal to swim in?'_

For Jaune, of course. He was someone who needed to be shown the wonders of Yang Xiao Long! She just needed an edge, something to really make him fall for her.

' _You can do this! You've got these babies!'_

She looked at her breasts, currently still captive within the tight nightshirt that she'd donned. Weiss was... well, she wasn't around and Ruby was keeping watch. She really needed to find something that's make him get all hot and bothered.

' _Mom gave me these babies... and I hope that I didn't inherit the desire to flee after marriage...'_

She could see herself in a wedding dress, maybe with Weiss in the background as Best maid or whatever they called it? Bridesbest? Something. Dad had just said that Summer had just leapt at him with something that sounded like 'Ohmypoorbaby,comehereandletmegetthosesloppyseconds' and Ruby had popped out of the cabbage.

She'd learned the real reason for that through the books that she'd enjoyed at the Combat Academy, and during the sexual health and education stuff. She acted confident, she acted brash, but she'd rather have gentle touches.

A nice bit of blonde hair, blue eyes, a tight little butt and her just giving him a lot of kisses, slowly dropping down and taking a hold of that big hard Aura lance...

"Eh, sis? You're drooling."

Ruby's voice drew her out of her thoughts. Curse that girl for letting her drift into such memories! Such a bad little sister.

"Hey... Are you really serious about him?"

Ruby sounded a little confused, and she looked at the little silver-eyed sprout that'd come from the woman that she'd called mom for a few years until she'd gone the way of the warrior... or just became lost.

"I like him a lot. I'd like to do stuff with him."

Ruby smiled. Her sister's smile wasn't right in her. "I mean, he's kind of good-looking, good with people and he's got that whole heroic look... Makes a girl think."

Ruby smiled at her still, though it was not the smile that she'd expect. This wasn't a happy-happy smile, but one that was bittersweet.

"I'm happy you found a guy you like, Yang."

' _Oh shit...'_

That smile was the one that Ruby wore when she had to give something up that she liked. There definitely was something about that smile that made her feel like shit.

"Do you... Do you like him too?"

Ruby gave a small nod. The smile turned even more damning in Yang's eyes. She'd just stolen her little sister's first crush by boldly announcing that she would go for him.

"I can back off if you'd like. I mean..."

Ruby just waved her hands like she'd just heard that Christmas was going to bring laser gator guns. Totally against the Remnantian Dust convention, or so it apparently was. Yang wasn't a gun nut.

"No-nononono! You go ahead! I'll... I'll get over it. You two are good for each other, even if Weiss just starts to make weird squeaky noises during the night."

Yang did not want to know what Weiss did. She could _guess_.

' _Sinful things...'_

She didn't want to know about that, but Ruby was getting all steamed.

"I'm sorry sis..."

She mumbled, feeling a bit like Summer might've, stealing the guy that her own biological mom liked. It wasn't something that she'd done consciously, but Ruby undoubtedly wouldn't like her for it.

"It's okay! It's fine! S-so, I'm here to help you! Just leave it up to Ruby Rose!"

' _This is going to be amusing...'_

She had wondered what Ruby had in mind, but the short skirt and the top weren't that bad. Awkward to move in though, but _not_ bad. She'd make a frumpy sweater look good.

"So... How do I look?"

Ruby merely smiled in her own Ruby-like way. That counted as a 'yeah, this needs some sprucing up', because her little sister had the fashion sense of a nerdy geek.

' _I should've just asked Nora...'_

Now THERE was a girl who knew how to dress in hot pink and make it look _good!_

* * *

Sienna Khan was not a woman to be crossed, most people knew. As she stood there amongst the latest bunch of yokels who had dared to issue a challenge to her, she did not give a damn about what they ended up as. Her whip flew with arcs, hitting the bodies and then switching to something a little more brutal as she leapt at one of the men, hitting him in the head and then finishing him off with a kick to the groin, dancing out of the way of a strike.

' _I guess there was some benefit to those dancing lessons.'_

She wanted some more of that man's privates. A private exploration of those parts, including a good little bit of lingering on that large mountain of manliness. Preferably vaginal. She liked that.

The grin increased in savagery as she lost most of her restraint. Where it would have been bruises, there were now only broken bones and twisted arms, flesh mangling as she got back into her element. In this place, there was only Sienna and prey. The blood that flowed through her body was like a pulsating rhythm of carnage, as she twisted and lunged, her Aura guarding her from their strikes. Even professional Huntsmen could not stand up to her. Those were the first one to be taken out, as she knew that their threat was the most severe.

"Hey Sienna! There's a call on your Scroll!"

She ducked and weaved through a pincer manoeuvre, the woman who'd been on her other side being the unfortunate one getting body slammed by two of the enforcers, the woman going down in a tangle of limbs as Sienna rose up again, a kick delivered to the back of the head of one of the fools doing a pincer movement on the Khan.

"I'll take it in a minute! Who is it?"

Eve's voice was hesitant, as she spoke up. Through the roar of combat, Sienna could hear the soft words. She had good ears, thankfully.

"Your _equal."_

' _Shit.'_

She just dealt with the members of the White Fang's southern division a little more harshly. If Jaune called her this late at night, he'd undoubtedly have a good reason for that. It probably wouldn't be some sort of assassination of sorts or anything, but it was still pretty late in the evening.

A few tears in her outfit and a battered feeling in her muscles later and she grabbed the Scroll. Jaune did not look very happy, unclothed as he was. The whole SCH that was in the line of the camera's vision was there, and he had that look of broody manliness about him that Adam had once held.

' _Ooh, hickeys! Willow, you naughty girl!'_

"Sienna, I was recently introduced to a little fact about you giving some _advice_ to Winter Schnee."

She didn't really see what the problem was. If the girl wanted to get laid, she'd have to-

' _Hey! That's rude! You ask for permission first unless you've got a claim staked!'_

"Hey, I told her to jerk his pants down, not give hickeys! Did you put your dick in her?"

The crass talk wasn't something that she shied away from when the emotions started to get higher, and she felt insulted. She'd just wanted to get some good advice to the stuffy girl, not have her jump ahead in the queue!

"What? _No_! _Why_ are you even giving her advice on that kind of stuff?!"

He sounded a little upset. Sienna frowned, as someone came up behind her. Her head turned, as her arm rose up and blocked the strike from landing, her attention going to the guy with a metal bat, ready to take another shot at her.

"Because the girl _needed_ a dick. Not mine, but fuck if it's going to-YAH!"

Her foot slammed into the asshole's face, the guy going down, the bat flying into the air and someone being hit with a loud 'ARRGHHH! MY BALLS!' sound, though she couldn't really care much for the losers. They were the losers and she was the Khan, the woman who's got the whole band of mongrels and mutts together.

"Do I have catnip attached to my cock or something? I just thought she hated me."

Sienna snorted. Catnip attached to his groin would not explain that, Faunus just didn't work like that. They were a proud people, who had cultural heritage, a lot of other fun things and some of the biggest d- oh, yeah, she was thinking about stuff.

' _Okay, there may just be something in that statement that's true, but pheromones are NOT catnip.'_

"You're just saddled with that insane charisma that keeps me going. Eve, get those bitches up from the ground, beat them if you have to."

There was a savage smile on her lips, she knew. Her face was as beautiful as always, as Jaune looked at her and frowned.

"Now don't give me that pouty face, Jaune. I'll have a chat with the girl about proper etiquette and the like. There's rules for engaging with a guy that's claimed by someone with a bit of seniority to their name."

He didn't _get_ it. Of course he _wouldn't_ , he was a human, but they did things _differently_. Sure, there MIGHT have been a time when she'd disliked the blonde guy for being a human, but as far as it went now, he was the best thing since her becoming High Leader.

' _Hmm... Better get more condoms. We're going to go through a box.'_

She could do with a long weekend of being in bed and getting herself entertained by Mister Dance Moves. Yep.

"I sort of... yeah, it'd be rare if she didn't hate my guts right now."

Her grin was broader now as she smirked at him cattily. Of course, that meant that the smirk was just as wonderful as it always was, as otherwise it didn't matter.

"Hey, I hated you so much that I hoped you'd die at Initiation! Look at me now!"

It was simple to her. She loved the guy for being someone who wasn't afraid to just comment on her flaws if she was showing them.

"You're pretty much the same when you tell me to treat you like a-"

She muted the call, not really trusting people to learn of her kinks. She might just like it a little too much, but she had _needs_. When his lips stopped moving and horrible little kinky shit was finally not spoken of anymore, she un-muted him.

"I want to be _yours,_ Sienna. Willow's like that too for me. I want to be with both of you, and-"

She stopped him, making the frowny face that she knew would shut him up. That just wasn't _right_.

"If you fuck with another bitch, she'd _damn_ better be as pretty as the two of us!"

She stomped down, someone groaning as she did, her gaze drawn down. That'd been a direct stomp to the tit of someone. Oh well, they'd _lost._ They'd bear the pain. She stomped down again, just in case. Bitches got stitches, after all.

"Yeah, cry like the little bitch you are, bitch! You lost, you pansy little motherfucker!"

Jaune made a discordant sound, as if he wasn't happy with that.

"She knocked me out and tied me to her bed!"

Sienna nodded, understanding that sentiment. She'd do something similar, probably with something like elastic cables or something. Couldn't let the guy get up...Well, not in _that_ way.

' _Now there's an idea...'_

A grin came to her face. "Hey, if it worked, you weren't guarding your back good enough! Do tell me that she at least gave a bit of a taste!" It was proper, of course, to make sure that the guy wouldn't want to leave. She knew that he was hers. That cock didn't lie, especially when she moved her hips a little and ground against him.

' _Hmmm... Yeah, that'll be a long weekend.'_

"Sienna! She sucked my cock! I stopped her before she could get me off."

She pressed her lips together thinly. That wasn't right! The least she could've done was given him release. She'd have to put in overtime to make sure that he wasn't backed up or anything. Good girlfriends did that for their boyfriend.

"Was it good?"

It was a logical question. If the girl had been interested, she'd better damn well do a damn good job of sucking the cock of Sienna Khan's man!

"Yes! No! Wait, why are you asking that? Aren't you, like, _mad?"_

She blinked. Was she really mad that some girls were going after her man like he was the butcher with a fresh cut of meat? That was a _good_ thing!

"Why should I be mad that my man's attracting other bitches? Be proud that you've got bigger balls than most of _these_ assholes!"

Sure, she MIGHT be just a little bit annoyed with Mini-Schnee for doing her like that, but did it really matter? Her man loved her! When she was floating on cloud nine and she was orgasming her brain out, she didn't really mind much.

Willow should really have taken her advice and let her get a sniper to take down Jacques. That asshole wasn't good for her friend.

' _If it was up to me, he'd get a nice noose with a burning Dust crystal there to send him right to hell.'_

"Hey! I've still got some growing left to do!"

She grinned and then stomped down again on some bitch that was getting up. She felt like releasing a bit of stress now, as she watched Eve slowly flip over some of the people. A hand rose. Four probably needing the hospital.

"Yeah, and you're _mine_ the weekend after. Willow's got that whole thingy going on, so you're going to be showing me some growth."

She was going to make him _ache_. Khan was getting her cream.

' _Damn straight... Now, let's see whether I can get those cables...'_

* * *

The bruise had faded thanks to a liberal application of makeup and some extra tricks that she had remembered from when she'd been young to hide the scuff marks from having gone skidding down a mineshaft. It wasn't something that she'd really like to use, but it made sense for the circumstances. She had to look good for appearance's sake, to make sure that she looked like Willow Schnee, mother of the children and wife to Jacques.

Weiss was uncertain, holding her pace. Jacques had gone ahead of them, stating that he had a surprise for them. It was not something that she would enjoy, if she had an inkling of what it would be like.

"Mother..."

She looked at her daughter, the lighting of the limousine giving her daughter a pale cast, as she looked at her mother with an expression that Willow recognized as something that was concern in her daughter's eyes.

"Are you-"

The girl didn't finish her sentence, as Willow mustered a smile. There was no problem as long as her daughters and son were safe. She would be a good mother to them all, and she would rather die than to betray her family.

"I'm _fine_ , Weiss."

Her hand brushed through her daughter's hair, still done up in that asymmetrical style. She could see her daughter looking like Winter did in a few years, except for her chest. Weiss was _modest,_ in the chest.

"Has father told you about what the surprise is?"

Willow shook her head. She'd been too busy trying to recover from the shocks that she'd had to really bother with much. She'd nearly grabbed the bottle again, if only to leave it standing where it was. She did _not_ need alcohol right now.

' _He said that he loved me.'_

That was something that she could understand, something that she felt bubble up inside her that warmed her bones and soul. It was a softness that warmed her flesh and made her heart beat a little faster whenever she thought of him.

"No."

Her daughter's eyes did not change, as she looked at her. She bit her lower lip, trying to look like she wasn't thinking about something.

"Knowing father..."

She knew him better than Weiss did, having been around him longer than Weiss had. The charm and the sweet words had made her be a foolish young woman, believing in the goodwill that he had for her and the company.

"Mother, about our trip to the spa... Is it okay if I ask someone whether he'd like to come as well?"

Her eyebrow rose, an amused smile coming to her lips. Her daughter had been mentioning a young man that had caught her eye. "That mysterious boy you keep mentioning?" She teased lightly, though she hadn't paid too much attention to things. Weiss was a girl and some secrets had to be kept.

"My team is... well, they're not too bad. They _all_ like him."

Willow's slight smile was political, as she looked at her daughter with the smile intact. That sounded like a boy that was a _playboy_. She didn't much like that sort, having seen many in her years in Atlas.

' _I guess she is at that age... The muscles, the smile... Some playboy would wrap her around his finger.'_

"Very well, I don't think it's a big problem to add a boy to the schedule. Shall we get him a pedicure as well? A manicure? Perhaps a private massage with just the two of you?"

Her daughter blushed and she smiled more genuinely, as she saw the embarrassment on her daughter's face. She'd have to vet the boy, of course... Not every young man was as great as the young man she loved.

' _Hmm...'_

Yes, it would be a thing to consider. A little private spa day with herself and Sienna and him, a few entirely too risqué outfits, a little private massage with some oil, a set of handcuffs and a nice pair of gloves.

' _A pity that it will remain as a fantasy...'_

"Mother..."

She gave a soft laugh, as Olav cleared his throat. Her daughter was glad for the distraction, looking at the bodyguard. Willow noticed that they seemed to have arrived at the destination.

"We have arrived at the airship docks, Mistress, young Mistress."

She spotted her eldest daughter there as well, standing prim and proper in her Atlesian Specialist uniform, looking a little haggard and worn-down, as if she hadn't had a good night's sleep. She was someone who always took care of herself, the girl that she had born first into this world.

"Mother, Weiss."

The polite and clipped tone from her eldest daughter was something that she could feel hold a distaste, as her eldest daughter's eyes met Weiss, a smile that was warmer and friendlier than the smile that she'd directed towards her.

' _How I wish we could just be a family, rather than having to deal with your father...'_

"It is nice to see you, Winter. Have you been well?"

Politeness was always required, and her eldest daughter gave her a look that showed her sympathies for her mother. Rather little, she'd imagined, if the death glare that she got was something that could not be mended.

"As well as I could be. Can we converse in private for a moment, mother?"

She looked at her eldest daughter and gave the smile that she reserved for family. She'd hope for the best, looking at Winter's pent-up expression, her daughter looking like she'd rather be anywhere else.

"Mother, did father have you sleep with a young man named Jaune Arc?"

Her daughter was straight to the point of the matter, as Willow let her eyes go for the landing pad, watching the approaching airships. She didn't spot the tell-tale sign of the Schnee Dust Company logo yet.

"Your father has intimated that I sleep with the young man, yes."

There was a coolness to her voice that slipped in, as her daughter's eyes looked into her own. Hate, spite and anger. Such emotions, hurting her with that painful stabbing torment of being never the example that Winter needed. Her eldest daughter disliked her the most, no matter what Weiss said about Winter showing _concern._

"And you _let_ him? _Why_ did you tell him about me?"

' _What in the name of Atlas happened?'_

"I must be _missing_ some information here, Winter. What does _that_ have to do with _you?"_

Her daughter's baleful look of anger seemed to simmer down a little. Willow could see the moody look enter her daughter's eyes.

"He said that he'd slept with you and Weiss!"

Willow wasn't even going to want to inquire about the reasons as to why he would have told Winter that, as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. This was a bothersome thing, and she was _not_ going to explain the little game of cat and mouse between Jaune Arc and her father.

"Winter, your father has been pressuring the young man to sign up with the company. The Hero of Vale is-"

 **Smack**

The smack from Winter's left hand came unexpected and she looked at her daughter, whose eyes looked at her with that anger that was much like her father's. She felt her own blood boil with her own fierce rage, as she straightened herself.

"You are _disgusting_. I am _ashamed_ to call you my mother."

Her daughter's voice was strict and Willow felt the anger sizzle and burn inside her, though she knew that she had to maintain the look of the wife of the Schnee Dust Company's CEO.

"We _all_ have done _disgusting_ things, Winter."

She had been enjoying the company of the young man, she had been saved by the young man and she had been _tempted_ by the young man, but she would _not_ break her vows.

"Well, _I_ fucked him _too_. He's had _all_ three Schnee's. The _full_ row, mother _and_ daughters."

She couldn't really believe that, raising a delicate eyebrow, looking down at her daughter, though really there was very small chances that her daughter would've ever gotten Jaune into bed with her. Her oldest daughter produced her Scroll, unlocking it with a swipe of the fingers.

The picture Winter showed on her Scroll wasn't something that she could refute. That most certainly was Jaune. As was Winter, given that she had the picture on her Scroll. Winter had _sex_ with Jaune.

' _I..._ '

She noticed more details. The restraints that'd been fastened to the bed, clumsily, she might add. Winter probably never had to do the knots that she'd learned when she was younger. A slide to the side and a selfie-picture of Winter and the turgid tower of tumescent titillation appeared. Her daughter looked _proud_.

"Did you _rape_ him, Winter?"

Her surprise showed in her voice, as well as the muted horror. Her daughter, ever so proud, merely looked at her with a look of mutual disgust.

"He was _there_ and I _did_ it, mother. Just like _you_ did. It was _easy._ "

She kept her expression very carefully schooled, the dash of jealousy of this uppity daughter of hers doing what she wanted, as she glanced at Weiss, watching the expression of tense nervousness on her daughter's face. Another picture, a sexy one that wouldn't look too out of place in a pinup collection with _'Hey there daddy'_ was on the next. It had been sent to the number that she faintly recognized as Jaune's, having known it by heart now.

' _At least you've got a guy who you like who isn't the one that your older sister fucked...'_

This was a _mess_. Winter had just straight-up raped the guy...

' _I knew I should've just bent her over my kn-'_

The last picture came to mind. A feeling of dread settled in her stomach. No, her daughter could _not_ have been so stupid as to...

"Did you at least use a _condom,_ Winter Schnee?"

Her voice was angry and laden with a frustrated emotion, as her eyes bored into her daughter's. The widening of the eyes showed that her eldest daughter had not.

' _Oh by the gods...'_

Her oldest daughter was probably now already pregnant by the guy. She'd seen the family register. _Seven_ sisters! One shot into a pool and he'd probably cause a birth wave of blonde children in nine months...

' _No, that won't happen...'_

"We're going to a clinic to see whether we can do something about the child. You're _not_ having a baby whilst hopped up on caffeine and whatever you use to keep awake during the night. You _will_ keep the child, Winter."

She would make sure that Winter got whatever she needed. She would be the mother that would crack down hard on her daughter's ways. It was just as lucky that Sienna and Jaune both were _clean_. A venereal disease would really make her daughter's day even worse.

"Bu-"

She fixed her daughter with her most serious glare. Winter quivered. She didn't like to glare at her daughter like this, but Winter had done something seriously _wrong_. This was a _nightmare_ , a _scandal_. She would have expected this from _Weiss_ , but from _Winter_?

"No _buts,_ Winter. That you were _allowed_ to leave for the military did _not_ mean that you were allowed to neglect _safety_ during sex. I don't know what sort of stuff you have been doing in the military and I most _certainly_ do not care to know what you have done with other men, but this _ends_ now. You're _not_ having that young man's baby whilst serving in the military forces of Atlas."

Her daughter looked uncertain, and Willow just knew that it was no doubt because she'd done this in a flare-up of emotions. She would need to have a strict chat with General Ironwood about this. And to... _grovel_.

"Go _back_ to your sister. She would like to see you, perhaps talk a bit. Come on, off you go. Mother is going to take care of _your_ mess, like she always does."

' _For the love of...'_

She would have to pull her oldest daughter's ass out of the fire now... But it was all for the right cause. The speed-dial to General Ironwood was easily done, as Willow Schnee looked at the man, whose face showed that clear look of Atlas First and Damn the Rest.

"General Ironwood, I am requesting that my eldest daughter, Specialist Winter Schnee be put on administrative leave indefinitely, until a situation has been _cleared up_ , shall we say?"

The man's face was barely expressive as he looked at her, and her gaze went to her eldest daughter, who seemed to strike up a conversation with her youngest. No sign of Jacques _yet_... which wasn't boding very well for the three of them.

"On what grounds, Miss Schnee? I would assume that with the lawsuit you just levelled against us that you would not wish to... engage in such a forceful measure."

She firmed her features. This was definitely not a conversation that she'd like to have with the man. But her daughter had done something stupid, so she would have to be the _responsible_ one.

"She sexually assaulted a young man and got pregnant by him, considering that she forgot to take contraceptive measures. Please ensure that there is some... _tact._ The Schnee Dust Company is willing to make a sizeable donation in order to ensure that the pride of Atlas grows with superior armaments."

There was a pinched tone to her voice as she looked at the man, his expression showing surprise for once.

' _Gee, I bet you didn't expect that, did you?'_

She didn't _either_. Gods, Sienna was going to _freak_. She'd have to run damage control because Sienna might just tear her daughter apart if she found out that Winter Schnee had raped her boyfriend/partner.

Gods knew that Sienna Khan was a savage Faunus woman who did not shy away from making strict declarations.

"I-Ah?"

The general seemed to have a problem with articulating and looked really uncomfortable all of a sudden, undoubtedly due to whatever was going on around him, as someone hissed in the background.

"SO SHE _DID_ DO THAT?! THAT SNIDE CUNT!"

A darker-skinned woman wearing a hood and having her hair cut short appeared in the view.

"She marked him as Schnee property! Kick that bitch's ass for me! Nobody touches that Arc booty without my permission!"

The general looked at her with a grave look, as he sighed heavily. "Are you absolutely sure, Miss Schnee?" Her facial features were like ice as she nodded.

"Considering that she has a picture on her Scroll of him restrained, I most definitely would not be surprised if she speaks the truth. My daughter does not lie easily. Neither does a selfie with her face close to the young man's engorged penis lie much about what must have happened, as _much_ as I wish it were different."

The man's face turned stony, as he worked something into some terminal, and looked at something. Undoubtedly the man had some sort of verification of the facts handed to him on the terminal, if it was to be so.

"That is indeed an image on Specialist Schnee's device..."

She grimaced. Someone in the background shouted something about coming to take some frozen cunt's head. A loud smacking sound of something hitting the ground and another tirade from another woman who was saying something about 'keeping legs shut for stupid students'.

This was a _mess_.

"I will be taking my daughter to a clinic. Ensure that things are handled sufficiently and with tact, General Ironwood, and I will be _thankful._ Administrative leave, if you _must_ keep her as an aide, do ensure that it is phrased _respectfully._ "

She would be a mother that her daughters and her grandchildren could be proud of eventually. If Jacques wasn't worth the vows he had made, she would at least keep to them.

She joined her daughters, Winter looking a little demure as Weiss and her seemed to be having half of a discussion, Winter's eyes looking at her with a barely perceivable fear in them. She just glared at her daughter, upset still.

' _Getting pregnant from the guy I love... Gods, this is a mess. I'd better crawl through the dust in order to get him to even look at me again...'_

"Winter, you're _joining_ us at the spa. This is non-negotiable. I have already seen to your schedule being cleared. General Ironwood will likely place you on administrative leave."

There was no room for arguments in her voice, as her daughter merely nodded. Weiss looked happy at that, but Willow knew better. Winter was undoubtedly regretting it.

' _Well, you didn't regret it when you touched that young man, did you? Did you just gag him and had him put a baby in you? Gods, I don't even know how I can bear to face him after what you've done!'_

"Mother, I-"

She gave Winter another full glare. Her eldest daughter shrank back. All that courage and brash bravado shrank back under her righteous fury. She was _not_ pleased and her eldest child would _know_ it.

"I would have expected something like _that_ from your _father_ , Winter. He would congratulate you and then inquire when the best date for your _wedding_ would be."

She was still restrained, as Weiss looked at her older sister, Willow watching her daughter for any minute hints.

"You're marrying Ruby's uncle?"

A look of disgust came to both Willow and Winter's face. The man was odious and ill-suited for a Schnee. It was Winter who spoke.

" _No_. Gods, the man is a _menace_. No, I... I _might_ have made a serious mistake."

That was putting it _lightly_. She'd committed so many criminal offences that it was still a lucky thing that she had her mother around.

"A _serious_ mistake that you will _apologize_ to the young man for, _right_?"

Winter looked at her and trembled a little. Weiss looked unsure, not sure what she was witnessing. Winter's eyes firmed and she tilted her head, chin raised arrogantly.

"I have _nothing_ to apologize for, Mother! I didn't do _anything_ wrong!"

It was a soft rage that settled into her heart as she looked at her daughter. The look in her eyes scared both of her daughters as she looked her eldest dead in the eyes, her lips a very thin line. She took a deep breath to steady herself, then exhaled slowly. She would have to clean things up. She'd have to make sure that Winter got the best care that she needed. She'd obviously gone wrong somewhere.

"Mother, I'm sure that whatever Winter did, it is not something that is unforgivable."

She looked at her daughter and was about to give a rebuttal to that, that 'raping someone her age and probably getting court-martialled for that' is something that would count as unforgivable, including 'attempting to get pregnant BY said guy', but her husband appeared without much pomp and grandeur, his expression relaxed and in that Jacques mode of calm comfort. That shut down any rebuttal in its infancy.

' _What're you so smug about, Jackass?'_

"Ah, you're all here. Great, great."

She had the sinking suspicion that this was not great for them. Her husband looked entirely too optimistic for his doing, though neither of her daughters would notice it. They didn't know her husband as she did, neither really spending the most time with their father.

A Dust-powered craft touched down, the SDC logo boldly on the sides. Willow guessed that it must be some special delegation from Atlas that had her husband amused, but she would reserve her judgement.

The first person to disembark was dressed in a tailored outfit, the hair standing as smoothly combed as always, despite the wind ruffling it a moment later. Whitley, her youngest child and only son, strode down the ramp, followed by an older man who wore something that'd been made by Cordin Aventerra, one of the main designers for Atlas' upper class.

' _What's your plan with Whitley here...'_

"Mother, sisters... Father. I have arrived."

The coolness of her son's voice was much like his father's, though he held himself differently, with that more humane touch of rough industrialism that his grandfather had held.

"Mister Schnee, Mrs Schnee, Winter, Weiss... It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

The man behind her son spoke up and she could see a faint amused look flit over her husband's face. She thought the man looked a little familiar, perhaps a slight hint in the features that was familiar from upper-class Atlesian society.

"A pleasure to see you, it was a bit of a hasty arrangement, was it not?"

The man looked at her husband as if he'd just heard something funny, laughing for a moment.

"Of course not, it would have been a shame if she had not been wed off before her twentieth. You know the expiration date on most women, Mister Schnee."

The man looked at her youngest daughter, who looked uncertain of where this direction was to go.

' _You really did it, Jacques...'_

"Meet your new fiancé, Weiss. This silliness about becoming a Huntress has to stop, it is no place for a young lady of your standing."

She caught Weiss before she fully collapsed in a dead faint, whilst her husband gave an apology about the fragile nerves of his youngest daughter. She held her daughter up, sighing deeply.

' _First a pregnant rapist as an eldest daughter, and now my youngest married off to a guy who could be her father...'_

Today was not a great day to be Willow Schnee.

* * *

 **Ah, Jacques Schnee... I'm pretty sure that you're hated by more people than the in-universe crowd in Dance of Tigers. Well, this is the last chapter of The dance of Tigers for 2019. See you in the next year, people!**

 **Leave a review if you'd like! I like to see em!**


	42. Déboulé

**Chapter 42: Déboulé**

 **I solemnly swear that I have a plan with these chapters.**

* * *

She was in control. Power was at her fingertips and she could just about reach for the button, ready to unleash hell on the world. She would be lauded as the saviour of the world with but a single press, just ready to-

"Stop that, Sienna."

She stopped, giving him a catty grin. It had been _quiet_ for the past few days, and it had been pleasant. Willow seemed to have gone completely silent, seemingly dealing with that bastard of a husband of hers, and she had her man here with her. Her fingers pressed against his side again, his eyes not quite happily gazing at her.

"But I wanted to try it. Come on, can't you cut a girl a break?"

He gave her that stern look that she liked, as if the human sensibilities were finally coming to a break and she was going to get fucked again.

"You are _not_ going to do that again. Get this thing off me."

She smiled even broader. Of course, it was just a toy, but it did feel good. She licked over his skin, tasting the sweat on it. That had been entertaining, trying out the little mesh-fibre cover that could be applied to a shaft. The vibration function had been _glorious_.

She pressed the button and found her throat seized again, as he stiffened. She had _power!_

"Off. Now. I've-"

She playfully growled at him. A nice afternoon off, not something like a boring dreadful meeting, no assholes trying to usurp her position.

"Oh... _Something_ wants some attention."

Her finger pushed the button again. "My... Gonna really do it, human?" He didn't disappoint. She was pressed against her bed again, groaning and yowling like a cat in heat, getting what she _craved_.

He pulled out of her suddenly, before she had that moment to reach the peak. She looked back at him.

"No, you can't do this to me! I was so _damn_ close, Jaune. So damn CLOSE. Come on, put it in!"

His hand smacked her buttocks and she growled at him. He wasn't treating her properly, but-

He glared at her. She felt her ears flatten, as there was a rage in his eyes that didn't seem to stop. "Get it off, Sienna. _Now_."

She pushed the button and the mesh shut off, her eyes looking down. She was Sienna Khan, proud Faunus, but his voice had commanded her to shut it off and his eyes were dangerous-looking as if they were serious.

"Winter went too far. I'm not-"

He shook his head, her eyes watching him. She didn't _get_ it. He should be happy that there was such a good-looking girl showing an interest! He was her _man!_ Sienna didn't want just any ugly asshole with some baby dick right up in her face when she did sexy stuff, nope! Best asshole in the world and it belonged to _her_ man, Jaune.

"So?"

She said, and he looked at her. He held up a hand and a Glyph appeared in his hand. It was the Schnee Semblance, but she thought it made him look distinguished. She might have disapproved of it before, but now it was practically something that she saw frequently, when he did a little twist and his Aura flared up.

"How can you even...? Sienna, I love you and-"

She put a finger to his lip, shaking her head. It wasn't something that he would get with his age, but it was really simple. It was natural.

"Ah, no. No moping. She sucked you off. Am I a better sucker?"

He looked at her and gave a confused look.

"Yes, she's got _sloppy_ technique! But- Hey, that isn't the point! Aren't you mad or upset?"

She blinked. No, _why_ should she be?

"Why should I be upset? If it was Kali, I might be somewhat upset because you'd have to fight Ghira to the death, but I don't think I have... cause to be mad? Why? Do you want me to be mad at her for being a bad cocksucker?"

Humans were weird. Jaune just stared at her as if he was looking at some sort of weird creature. She just pulled the little toy off and just got on the love-rocket. There, the world was right again. Her man was giving her pleasure and she was a happy kitty.

"What? What?!"

He was being _stupid_. Of course she'd not get mad. Who wanted to have some bad cocksucking done? She'd given him her body and that was his _right_.

"It's your right, Jaune. Now stop talking and give me a fucking. You've got to be back at Beacon soon and I want my fifth orgasm of the hour."

There was much more pleasant things to do than to worry about whether Willow's daughter needed lessons in how to suck a dick. Dicking by the human, yes. Thinking about frosty pussy? Nope.

"Sienna, I'm..."

He didn't get it, but she didn't really care much. Willow was her friend, one of her best friends. It didn't count if it was between friends. Now, if it was some low-grade bitch with saggy tits and a venereal disease that'd make her crabby for a month, she'd have to cut open a bitch and stuff her full of rocks and send her for a long swim off the pier, but that was just normal stuff for people. Menagerie had outlawed the mate-stealing punishment, but that didn't mean that she wouldn't fight to the death for her guy!

"No time to be mad, more time for the sex. I've got a whole week full of Schnee asshole to look forward to and I'm not giving up my day off for the weaklings that dare to get between the two of us." '

Jacques Schnee wanted more negotiations. If that man insinuated once more that she wasn't some sort of functioning humanoid being, she would have to strangle him with her whip or something...

' _Strangle him, tie him and throw him off a damn building, bah.'_

Yeah, that wouldn't be so bad. If she didn't have to fight with the public opinion of her bunch of merry Faunus, she might even go and do it herself.

' _Humans really worry too much about that stuff... I've staked my claim, he smells of me. A good woman is going to have to come along to steal him away from me... And even then, it's slaughter time when I find her.'_

Sienna Khan was a woman of simple pleasures with her man, at this moment.

"Hey! Don't get out of bed!"

A simple pleasure was getting out of bed, though. That could not be allowed! She hadn't had her orgasms yet! She was going for fifteen at the least!

* * *

Willow let out a slow shuddering breath, her eyes haggard-looking as she looked at her eldest daughter, currently cuffed to the chair with a set of cuffs, the look on her face thunderous as the woman raised herself up from between her legs.

"Nothing yet, but you _really_ should wash more often with a gentle soap. It's irritated down there, your mother did state that you have a stressful job, but that's no reason to neglect your health down there, young lady." The woman was in her late fifties or something, her daughter's glaring face turning redder, as she looked at her mother with thunder in her expression.

" _Nothing_ happened, mother."

She didn't believe her daughter. Evidence pointed to the contrary. Her daughter was nothing if not stubborn. She undoubtedly got that from her father and her mother, considering that Jacques seemed to be a Lien vampire... if not for the fact that he went outside into the sun, she might consider garlic and perhaps a stakegun of some sort.

"Olav, take the handcuff off the chair. My daughter needs her space to get out of the chair and back to the car."

Weiss was still in shock. Having to be married to Braun Wolfgarde was something that she hadn't expected, but her husband had already drafted up the contract and had signed it. With some legal mumbo-jumbo about the legalities of it as an excuse, it was apparently fully legitimate... and her daughter had no position to challenge it, as she had been instated as the heir by her own will.

As they left the gynaecologist's office, she already could see Winter getting that uppity look on her face.

' _A pity..._ '

"You _will_ apologize to Mister Arc, Winter."

She knew that her daughter had done wrong, but she had not dared to talk to him, afraid that he would hate her. What Winter had done had been foolish, it had been stupid and Sienna had not been very talkative either.

"I haven't done anything wrong!"

She kept insisting that. Just some head, apparently. Her daughter was a liar, and she knew it. Why else would she send such a provocative picture of herself to the young man? Why else would she keep trophies, like some depraved hedonist.

' _You need help...'_

She wasn't going to be able to give it, sadly. It was out of her reach, out of her skill. She was aware of global economic trends and wooing a crowd of curmudgeons into paying through the nose for her stuff, not at trying to apologize to a young man she had strong feelings for about her daughter's _rape_ of him.

"Olav, ensure that she is in the car. We will meet with Whitley."

This would be one choice to make. She dialled the number and waited for the ringtone to stop, hearing the person on the other side pick up.

"Yes, Klein? Do you think you could be Winter's minder for a moment? It seems to be... a touch more than needed." The man was present for the Schnee family, and Olav was for her personal protection. The man had that knack with her daughters that she would like to see from the father that they had been forced to deal with, but without the grandiosity that came with the deals that her husband provided.

She got into the car, the casual, insofar as she could be called casual, clothing barely ruffled. It had just been a mother and a daughter going to the gynaecologist. She looked at her daughter, whose broody expression was just like Weiss her own.

"I am making Klein into your minder, Winter."

Her expression did not fade towards that impassiveness that she had once held for her daughter, too drunk to care or to bother. She was a woman with _pride_ , a pride that had been trampled over by her daughter's moronic choice to go out and rape the boy that she had taken a fancy to.

"I am not si-"

She grabbed her daughter's chin and shut that mouth, looking into her eyes. Winter shrank back, as she looked the young woman into the eyes.

"I have _grovelled_ for you, Winter Schnee. I have _cried_ for you, I have taken _hits_ for the safety of my children, but I will _not_ tolerate you _ever_ doing something like that to _anyone_ , the least of all a young man who is Weiss' age."

Her voice was angry, as she saw the incomprehension in her daughter's eyes.

"If you cannot _behave_ like a mature adult, then you are a _child_. I will be telling Mister Sieben about what you did. Tell Weiss yourself, or _I_ will. This is one of her _friends_ , and you did something _unforgivable_ to him. A _child_ , Winter. A little life, which you _ripped_ from him with a _stupid_ choice. I'm _not_ happy, Winter. I will love it, just as much as I loved you when you were little."

Winter didn't respond, and Willow didn't expect a response. Her daughter's eyes looked at her, tearing up. She looked like she was hurt. Willow didn't care anymore.

"Oh, did that _hurt_ , Winter? Think about what _you_ did to that young man. You _took_ from him something that he kept for that special someone in his heart, and you begot life from him."

Her daughter was crying, her heart throbbed with a pain that was instinctual, yet she suppressed it. Her daughter was a sick woman, sick enough to do something like that to a young man who had saved her mother from the dark pit she'd fallen in, who had not done a single thing to her younger sister when the opportunity had come...

"I didn't do _anything_ , mother. I didn't..."

She didn't believe her daughter. No matter how often she repeated that, it was still a lie. She was afraid to call Jaune to hear it from his lips, so very afraid that he would hate her. Whitley was... well, she didn't know where he was, but she had to make sure that he would at least get to talk to her. It had been a while since she had last visited the house...

' _And then...'_

She saw the door open, Mister Sieben standing there like the stalwart butler that he was. It was a softness of his features that had always made the daughters feel safer, and her little man was happy with the butler as well, if the somewhat fond smiles were on occasion there as well.

She still loved her children, no matter what. She was not going to give up on her daughters without any sort of structure in place. She rose from her seat, Olav joining them outside the car. Klein gave her daughter a curious look, but Willow was smooth and in control.

"Mister Sieben, we have a small task for you."

There was much to be discussed with the man. She noticed that Whitley was standing there next to his father, the man's bodyguards surreptitiously arrayed around him. The look on her face was tense as she let her eyes look for the man. She spotted blonde hair and then groaned.

"Get a move on, Winter... I am _not_ going to cause a scandal here, so off you go... Mister Sieben... Consider it your task for the foreseeable future to ensure that my daughter is kept out of the presence of..."

She motioned for Olav to take the lead, trying to affect the appearance of being 'busy', walking into the apartments that had been set aside for privacy and protection of the family. She paused in front of the room that was Winter's, regarding the man with a cool expression on her face.

"Mister Arc."

The butler's eyes looked at Winter, that look of empathy once more given to her daughter. The man was akin to a kindly uncle to them, older than she herself was by a good fifteen to twenty years. Not a man who was to be crossed, however.

"I didn't do _anything_ , mother!"

Winter was being petulant again. Lying was _such_ a bad trait. She definitely got that from her father.

"Evidence speaks for itself, Winter. If you cannot be honest to at least the family butler, I will be honest for you. It is the least that I can do for my daughter, even if she lies. Mister Sieben, Winter is with child."

The man smiled kindly at her daughter, and Willow looked at her daughter, who looked at her with a scandalized expression. She did not care for her daughter's opinion on such a thing now, as she finished her sentencing.

"She, in her grandiose wisdom, as befitting of the daughter of Jacques Schnee, sexually assaulted a young man, one of Weiss' friends, and ensured that we have another child to care for."

Her voice was biting, as she looked at her daughter with calm, cold eyes. The man's eyes went to Winter, something that was more humane, as his eyes shifted colours.

"Now, is that true, Winter?"

Willow didn't want to see her daughter break more with the paternal tone that came from the Butler's mouth, so she took a deep breath.

"I will be in my apartment. The moment that your father finds out about this..."

There was a soft grimace, as she could hear her daughter start to sob. She had dug her own grave, doing such a _stupid_ thing. If it had been something consensual, if it had been _anyone_ else, like that guy who had groped her ass, she could have threatened with something, something that held the full power of the Schnee Dust Company behind it.

The door closed behind her, as she heard her daughter start to deny it once more. She walked to the window, looking at the limousine that was pulling away, her husband already on his way, a satisfied smile on his face.

' _This is a mess, but I won't let you ruin this, Jacques.'_

She needed just a bit more time...

* * *

Jaune looked at the young man standing there before him, as he looked at the man who had essentially just told him that he was to be a babysitter. The father of the young man had just departed, the bodyguard that stood there with the man having essentially left. He knew that this was undoubtedly a test, something to check whether he had the proper loyalties to the company.

Leaving the heir to the Schnee Dust Company in the presence of the young man who was going to be the cash cow was to gauge the interest, as Jacques Schnee would have it. Multiple bodyguards were undoubtedly through the surrounding vicinity, hidden but within a careful distance.

"So, you are the brute that Father has been scouting. The name is Whitley Schnee, a pleasure."

The smile was as fake as it could be, and Jaune knew it by sight. The politeness would make Whitley look like a well-raised child, but it was something that he could also see within the man who had sired Whitley, the false veneer.

"Jaune Arc, a pleasure. Your father told me a lot about you."

More like the fact that his memories of Whitley mostly were from Willow's perspective, but that wasn't something he publicized. He was sure that the compliment would land well, knowing that Whitley tried to aspire to please his father.

"So, we're together for a day. Do you have anything you'd like to see? I've got a few interesting thoughts in mind, but if you'd like to, I don't know, go to an arcade or something?"

He tried to play the cool older brother, or at least give it an attempt. He was sure that he could get a few bits ready, if needed.

' _Hmm, a visit to Sienna might be what would shake the guy out of his daze... perhaps a visit to big sis? Yeah, that'd be a good idea. She's a history geek, so some interesting tidbits of history might just be up his alley.'_

"I do not think that an arcade would be suitable, Mister Arc. I do not care much for the foibles of the plebeian masses." Jaune smiled. It'd be a visit to Sienna then.

"Allow me to take you to a place where you might learn something. Don't worry, I won't let anyone lay a hand on you, Huntsman's word."

He would make sure that Whitley would be returned just as intact as he'd first seen him. The hands behind the back, the gesturing with his body language of uncertainty and the other parts, as the facial features pinched together in that look of faint consternation, before the mask was back in place.

' _Yeah, that's what I guessed...'_

He caught Willow looking down at him from one of the windows, giving her a soft smile. It was for the best, he guessed, that he made sure that Whitley had some fun today. Weiss seemed to have gotten bad news, but nobody really seemed to want to tell him what the issue was with that.

"As you say, Mister Arc."

He sighed, shaking his head. The kid looked like he'd be a stuffy one.

"Just call me Jaune. It's too early for me to be called Mister Arc yet. Come on, let's go, shall we? We're taking the public transport."

There was a look of consternation on the younger teenager's face, but there was no comment further. The bodyguards undoubtedly would have to catch up, but Jaune trusted himself. As long as he was with Whitley and there was nobody who looked too closely, Whitley would be safe in his anonymity as just another kid.

"I do not like this, mister Arc."

The young man mumbled as they stood in the crowded tram, Jaune's ears catching some of the conversations around him. He'd put the jacket onto Whitley's shoulders, hiding the big Schnee crest on the back of the jacket that Whitley wore.

"It's just public transport, Whitley. It's what it's supposed to be, crowded and busy."

He knew that he'd have to swing by the White Fang HQ anyways because Sienna had been cagey about whatever stuff was going on. The woman was entirely too busy with her work.

"I still do not know where we are going, Mister Arc."

The formality of the fellow was starting to become a bit bothersome. Whitley had been an eager young boy when his mother had still been functional as a mother, and had quietened now that his father took a stricter look at his education since Weiss had intended to become a Huntress.

"Oh, it's to a place where you'll get to meet someone I think you ought to meet."

Sienna would at least be civil, he guessed. She was a big softie, he knew. The young teenager at his side merely scoffed with disbelief. Clearly, the young man had a different opinion.

"I do not see why I should meet with one of your obvious barely literate friends. I am a Schnee and I am not to suffer fools."

Jaune snorted, giving the younger teenager a look. It was so much like Weiss when he'd first made her acquaintance.

"Just remember... I'm with you and I'll keep you safe."

He wasn't going to let Willow's son get in hot water, because he was someone who cared for Willow and her happiness.

' _Yeah... If you knew what I was planning...'_

Jacques Schnee was not someone who you could eliminate as easily as getting a sniper rifle and taking the shot. Cinder Fall had been flying below the radar, the Dust ammunition being enough. He had considered just taking his weapons to the industrialist husband of Willow, but it was not going to be easy to fight off the professional protection detail that surrounded the man.

* * *

"With _Faunus_ , Arc?"

Whitley's voice was a loud hiss as they stood in front of the building, the symbol proudly declaring that it was the headquarters for Vale. He supposed that it might just as well be a good little time to announce to Whitley who they were here to see.

"With Sienna Khan, to be precise. She's a woman who's got a lot of stuff to do in her day, so we won't be staying for too long, I'll have to call Camellia in-between... But hey, I think you'll like her." He wasn't clear on who he meant, but the kid would figure it out. Sienna was one hell of an experience, and his sister was great with kids, he guessed.

Sienna had said that she was busy with administrative stuff today, so a quick visit might just be enough to make his girlfriend quiver a little with anticipation. The huff from Whitley was a good sign that the kid was accepting it.

"As long as you keep me safe, Arc. I shall meet with Miss Khan."

The haughtiness of Willow's only son was something amusing, as he pushed open the door. The receptionist looked up from her work.

"Mister Arc! And... Your brother? No, wait, different scent. Here for the High Leader, Mister Arc?"

Jaune put his biggest smile on his face. The mole Faunus was nearly blind as a bat, but there was nothing wrong with her sense of scent.

"Yeah, I got a little tag-along here with me. He's under my protection, so make sure that you keep the miscreants out of our way, alright? God knows what Sienna would do if she found that my guest was being harassed."

She'd freak and beat people into the hospital again. Sienna was very emotional, if it was needed. He noticed several of the upper guys give him a look, or more specifically to Whitley, but it wasn't too important as he motioned the kid to come with him.

"Animals."

Jaune shook his head, not quite sure about how he should go about correcting this. One of the big Faunus looked like he was going to do something, but Jaune just gave him a look. The big guy moved away a little. Sienna had been right. If he'd glare at them, they'd stay in their place.

' _Who knew that Faunus could be intimidated with just a bit of a glare?'_

He didn't know much about that, except that Sienna rarely explained stuff that was completely normal to her and other Faunus. Secret rules, he'd called them, but Sienna was passionate. He knocked on the door to her office, her personal secretary looking like she'd rather be elsewhere.

"She's in a bit of a mood today."

The door was jerked open. "YOU! I NEEDED THOSE FILES N- Oh, it's _you_." She turned her gaze to Whitley and Jaune caught the young man actually shrinking back. Sienna Glare Number 5, angry smouldering tiger gaze of doom, given right to Whitley.

"You better not be seducing him, Jaune. I will not tolerate that."

He grimaced at her words, shaking his head. Whitley just goggled, Sienna pushing the door open and looking at her secretary. "Cancel shit for the next hour or something, tell em that I'm going to beat the ever-loving crap out of Jacques' Schnee's only son or something... " Sienna rolled her shoulders as she walked to her desk and put a bottle back in.

"Right, Jaune, sit your annoying ass in that chair, Whitey Schnee, whatever your name is, get in the one in front of me. If the blonde human's brought you here, that means he's here to get you all pleasantly introduced to the Faunus and stuff... So yeah, _Hi_."

In usual blunt fashion, Sienna just directed them. Jaune sat down, watching Whitley's expression change slowly from surprise to acceptance and a hint of disdain. There was a haughty manner of seating himself that the son of Willow adopted, something that hinted at a feeling of supremacy over the woman. Sienna caught it, but didn't comment on it.

"It is a pleasure to meet the High Leader of the White Fang, as the heir to the Schnee Dust Company. I was unaware that my bodyguard for the day might know such an illustrious figure such as you."

Sienna's face was humoured, as she pulled something out of a drawer, her Scroll lighting up.

"Yeah, one moment. Eve? Get up here and make sure that you're _modest_. We've got Schnee's youngest kid over here. Time to practise your babysitting skills, you lazy cow." There was a grin on her face, as she looked at him.

"I'm getting you a back-up bodyguard. Great woman, bit strange, but fitting. Don't worry, you're going to be perfectly safe. If anyone gets up in your face, Arc will probably get you taken care of, keep that Atlas tan working perfectly."

Whitley didn't look very entertained with that comment, as the woman merely shuffled some papers around on her desk, Sienna not bothering with the etiquette.

"You are quite rude, Miss Khan."

The rude noise that Sienna made was as expected, knowing that she might make a fuss out of it. Jaune watched as the woman gave Whitley a flat stare.

"Whilst I may hold some sort of respectful countenance towards your father and mother, based on the fact that I am representing an organisation that fights for the rights of the Faunus, I am under no obligation to cater to the whims of someone who hasn't even had their puberty fully hit yet."

Sienna's answer was curt and to the point, her attention turning to the desk's contents once more, her eyes sweeping up and peering right into his own. "You don't mind if I send Eve to keep you out of trouble, right? After that little incident with Whitey's older sister, I'm just making sure that there won't be any more incidents."

He grimaced, getting a look from Whitley. "Your oldest sister has quite the temper." He said, not quite intending to clarify that statement with a 'she sucked my cock' because that would be too crude for the kid to witness. Kids should be kept as innocent as possible, though Whitley already seemed to be well on his way to be like his father.

"I am sure that Weiss has her issues, Mister Arc. A Faunus offering resistance whilst given perfectly reasonable labour terms and agreements is to be expected."

He saw that dangerous look in Sienna's eyes and wondered whether he'd have to get in front of Whitley before she'd leap over the desk and try to maul him. Sienna was a tender woman when it came to insults to her people. She'd just maul the offender.

"Helloooo Sienna! Ooh, and we've got mini-Jacques too! Jaune, you didn't tell me that you had the Schnee Queen's youngest with you, naughty boy!"

Eve Taurus entered with her usual bombastic nature, the jacket fitting perfectly well around her shoulders, his breath exploding softly.

' _Oh gods... this feels like it'll be one of those conversations where I'll end up being tired.'_

"No taking the kids to the sex shop, no weird kinky threesomes and for the love of god, make sure that he's delivered as-is with his father again. I know what you're like, Taurus."

Sienna's voice was stern and directive, fully invested with the power of being one of the leading Faunus in the world.

"I'll just deny the offer of a double beef spitting, yeah... No offense kid, but you're too young to ride this motorcycle." She winked, Whitley making a face at the woman.

"Gee, you'd think that he'd blush, but he's all like 'eww, Faunus'. Bee in your bonnet, or are you just stuffy?"

Whitley looked like he was going to comment, but he headed the banter off. "Eve, behave... We don't need to have Whitley looking like he'd just spent a week slumming it with your kind of barnyard animal..."

Sienna gave him a look that might have some faint approval in it, Eve giving him a cheeky grin, not at all offended.

"Ooh, does that mean that we're going to be shedding clothes and getting a whole lesson on sex ed for the stuffy kid? I can be mommy and you can be my daddy and we'd make some Faunus love."

It was a testament to Sienna's patience and Eve's utter shamelessness that the office remained without any sort of explosions, Sienna's head just turning to the papers that were on her desk.

"Just... do your thing, Eve. You're the charm offensive, I'm just the woman who keeps the books clean."

It was acceptance, and yet he could see Whitley's face look uncertain as Eve started to rattle off a few common questions, something about 'weather quality' and Atlas, Whitley's answers a little hesitant. He didn't quite know what that was going to be all about, but it sounded like something professional.

"Soooooo... Did you get the crate yet? I spent most of last night signing them all, and I hope that you like em."

He wasn't sure what she was getting at so he shook his head. Her laugh was amused, as she ran a finger through her short hair.

"I guess I shouldn't expect you to, because you'd have known what I was talking about. No crate, that ain't great. Soooooo, Whitley, have you ever ridden a motorcycle?"

He got up and quietly spoke with Sienna for a moment, Whitley answering Eve's excited questionnaire with a laboured sigh, trying to keep up to the excited woman's chattering.

' _Yeah, that's definitely out. Bringing a chatty girl near Camellia isn't going to work... I guess we'll have to go for a trip through Vale...'_

He was adaptable, after all. He checked his Scroll for a moment, seeing the notification from the air docks already. That meant that a few more things had to come into being first, and he'd have to book some time...

' _Okay... that's number three...'_

* * *

"-friend, because you can definitely be one of the cutest boys of Atlas if you try. I have a makeup kit here with me, how about-"

Eve was talking and Whitley was looking at him with a look that screamed 'help me'. Sienna had gone back to her work, mumbling something about wanting to grind someone into a very fine dust. It wasn't something he liked, but it would be-

A notification with the melody associated with Weiss, as he received a message on his Scroll.

' **Do you want to come to the spa with me and my team? I'd really like it if you came with us.'**

Weiss had been distant. She had been looking like a mess for a few days now, her eyes red. She didn't want to talk to him, no matter how much he asked, Nora and Ren remaining calm and just telling him that it was okay, Weiss needing some more time to come to terms with something.

' _Winter must've told her...'_

He knew them well, through their mother's perspective. They were great women, but they were most certainly not the easiest to handle. Their pride in the name of Schnee and their own skills was something that had been passed down.

He responded back immediately.

' **I'll be there. If my friends want me there, I'll be there.'**

Weiss was a good friend. He'd been clear to her about his feelings and he knew that she'd find someone better to love than him. He was in a relationship with Sienna and Willow looked to be getting ready to join that too.

"Soooo... We're going to find the best burger joint in town, Jauney. Lil' squirt here said that he'd never had 'peasant food' so, we're going to introduce him to something good and filling!"

He could see that Whitley wasn't really so very enthused, and he flashed an apologetic look at the young guy. It was just how Eve was. Brash and with a good heart, and a teasing side to her that she occasionally let out.

"But I didn't say-"

Eve shook her head, giving the youngest Schnee sibling a bold grin.

"Nope, no talking back allowed. Big sister is going to treat you good... And we'll leave that whole little bit about being a Faunus out of it, alright? People are a bit touchy about the Schnee's here, and Sienna is the type who wrangles your dad a lot, so... We've gotta make sure that you're safe and secure, okay?"

Whitley was a good boy, Jaune could see that. A little fake at times, but the widening of those eyes and that barely perceivable yearning was there.

' _Hmm... Should I?'_

"She's a really pretty woman, right? Don't worry, you can look. Eve's the type who doesn't mind if guys look, right?"

Whitley flushed, Jaune spotting the weakness. Eve's grin turned almost shark-like. She pulled her top open a little more, the jiggling bits looking extremely appealing. Jaune had to admit... The girl had a set of knockers that'd make most men look twice.

"Oh, does the littlest Schnee want to see more, hmm? Big sis is going to be really nice... Does the little boy want to have a touch, hmmm?"

There was a grin on her lips, as he leaned against Sienna's desk. Whitley was turning red, just as Weiss did when she was flustered. He gave Eve a look, raising an eyebrow at the insinuation.

"Eve... He's not comfortable. You're trying a bit too hard."

She looked at him, a daring look in her eyes, the top slowly opening a little. Jaune gave her a look, her attention directed straight at him.

"Perhaps you'd like to see more, hmmm? Have a bit of exp-"

Sienna's whip flashed past Eve's nose. The High Leader of the White Fang looked at her subordinate and friend, her expression looking as pleasant as always, which meant that she was half-glaring.

"Burgers deserve to be in the fridge, Eve. _Don't_ be a burger. Don't hit on Arc if you know what's good for you. Hit on Schnee after he's grown interested in girls."

Eve's head turned to her friend and boss, Jaune catching something in her eyes, and he sighed. This felt like a bad comedy, as Sienna's expression barely changed. He could see Whitley looking at the play between the two women, giving a soft groan as he saw Sienna getting ready for another push.

"But what if he wants to get some Faunus, huh? Are you going to deny him the pleasure of a woman, Sienna? Is it the big breasts? Come on, be honest."

Jaune sighed deeper as he saw the discomfort on Whitley's face increase.

"They get like this sometimes. I guess this is just their relationship."

Whitley's eyes looked at him uncertainly. He could see something of Weiss in the young teen boy, the uncertainty in his eyes, almost too certain. Clearly, it was not comfortable for him to be in the presence of someone who teased.

"I did not know that Miss Khan was a lesbian."

Whitley said softly. Not too softly for Sienna to hear, her eyes blazing with flame at the insinuation. Sienna's fist slammed onto her desk, spooking the kid some more, the blue eyes going wide.

"I most certainly am _not_! Beef Burger may be flexible, but I'm all-man, all the time! When I've got my legs wrapped around my man's face, he'll know that Sienna Khan's nobody's woman but his."

Whitley shrank back when Sienna's voice accentuated that, and Jaune just looked at her. There had certainly been something like that, but it had been with Sienna's head between his legs. He didn't correct her on that. The kid was spooked enough as it was, and he wasn't going to make Willow's son a wreck with nerves.

"Sienna, you _really_ should share. You know that we'd make good stuff happen together!"

He fixed Eve with a look. His lips were pressed tightly together and Eve glanced at him for a moment and became quiet.

"Good Faunus."

He said, shaking his head lightly at Eve's apparent eagerness to get something going with Sienna and him. Sometime Faunus just seemed to want things a little too much.

"Modesty is still a virtue. Zip up and get up. We're going to take Whitley out on the town, get him some experience with the sights of Vale. Have you ever been to the Needle, Whitley?"

Whitley looked a little unused of sorts to being suddenly addressed, his eyes looking at Sienna, who looked like she'd have a few choice words to say about being addressed as a 'good Faunus'.

"N-no, Mister Arc, sir."

Hesitation, something a little more than that, and a good dose of that indecisiveness that had plagued Weiss as well when she was younger. The kid wasn't comfortable, so he was going to get him out of here. Meeting Sienna was at least a good choice for making sure that the uppity attitude seemed to have been banished.

"Call me Jaune, Whitley. I'm too young to be a _sir_ , and, well- Hey! Stop that!"

Eve had started to zip up and was getting awfully close, looking at him, shooting looks at Sienna. A pout on her lips, as her hand brushed between the horns, giving Whitley a wink.

"What? Can't handle a sexy woman, Mister _Arc_?"

He could curse at her for her flirtatious ways, if Sienna didn't. The woman looked like she was going to throttle Eve for some reason, and he didn't quite get it.

"And that's my cue to get out, alright, I'll get the bike out and we'll get you to the Needle. How about that, eh?" The smile on her lips was a little wan, as Sienna's expression turned murderous at Eve.

"Get out of my office, beef burger. I need to get something done here and not be distracted by you smelling up the place like it's the barn you were born in."

A mock-hurt look on Eve's face as she got up, shaking her head and leaving the office, the door swinging shut behind her.

"Arc, you sit here, Willow's brat, get out of my office. I'll toss Arc out of here in a minute or five, entertain yourself with my secretary, if you're in need of something to occupy your time."

Jaune sighed, looking at his girlfriend and partner and... well, pretty much one of the women who were out for his future prospects. Sienna looked at him with a look that promised very ill tidings if he did move from his seat.

"I'll be right out... This is just something that'll be done in a jiffy, she gets like this."

* * *

The uncertain look on the young man's face, Sienna's womanly growl in the back of her throat, and Whitley Schnee vacated the office. Jaune turned to look at her when the door was closed and he found himself nearly face-to-face with her.

" _Mine_. You're mine, you hear me. If she wants to join in, she'll know whose bastard you are. All _mine_."

She rubbed herself against him, putting herself in his lap, her body pressed close to him, not unlike the feeling when they'd had sex. She rubbed herself against him, her eyes looking at him, golden-orange eyes looking into his own.

"Hey, I stick with my girlfriend."

She growled at him, a deep throaty sound. There was something in those eyes, as she bumped her hips against him. He knew that Whitley was his charge, but Sienna was now preventing him from leaving.

"Why did you bring _him_ here? Half of the office probably wants to hang him from a lamppost outside..." Her eyes were curious, desiring his explanation. He sighed.

"He's just a _kid_ , Sienna. He's not guided properly by his father and he deserves to know that Faunus aren't people to-"

A smirk on her lips, as she tapped his nose. "Faunus aren't people, huh? Mighty brave words, _human_." Her eyes were heavy-lidded, as she looked at his features, giving him a soft kiss to his cheek.

"I _get_ that. If you'd been here a year before, I'd have just kicked you out, but now..."

A soft sound in the back of her throat, something that went for a 'fuck' in whatever language she used. She was eager, as her lips slid up some more.

"I fucking love you, Jaune. I stick with the guy I've made mine. Eve just... Egh. You need to man up and _take_ Willow. If you want me to get a sniper rifle and take out Jacques or something, I'd go to jail for that."

He grimaced. That wasn't really going to be handy for their relationship, or Faunus-Human relations. Jacques was kind of a big thing in the world, not like some no-name Huntress in training that Cinder Fall had purported to be.

"No, I don't think they do conjugal visits in the Vale prison..."

He said, and she shook her head. It was going to be hard to get the idea out of her mind now. Sienna Khan was someone who could be remarkably hard-headed about some things at times.

"Hey, I can get a prison outfit. We can do the fuckening too."

An ill-amused look on his face made her grin. "She's not doing so very well though. She's not responding to my messages as she used to."

He hadn't had a good read on how Willow was feeling because she just hadn't been talking with him. Sienna saw Willow infrequently, dealing mostly with the woman's husband, which was the main problem in this equation. He knew that he should call, that he should try to talk to her, but she wasn't going to be so easily waylaid, with her husband around.

' _That'll all be done soon.'_

"Now that's a look of a _man_... Thinking about good stuff, Jaune? Going to put a Schnee in the maternity ward for a while, huh?"

He wasn't going to do that yet. He had just narrowly avoided Winter's assault because she'd been desiring to be claimed. If she'd been more domineering than what he'd seen, he'd have been assaulted.

"No, I don't think that I will do that just yet."

Sienna was still happy with him, even if the issue with Winter doing what she did had been shoved aside as 'trivial'.

"But I was thinking about getting rid of our little Dust Mine rat."

She kissed him full on the lips. She smelled still like she'd held the jewels of the world in her hands and her eyes were blazing with that eagerness, her hands tugging at his clothes. He could smell her arousal, something that he'd only gotten used to after the repeated moments of when she was close to him.

"Five more minutes..."

She growled something, before he pushed her off. A pout on her face, as she looked at him, straightening out. She was giving him the look that meant that she wanted to be fucked, that she wanted to get funky with him until the desk and chair gave out.

"I've got a kid to shepherd, so, no five minutes. You be good."

She growled at him, her hand already half-way towards his nipple, which she tweaked. He didn't give a sound, knowing that it was a challenge by her. Sienna was straightforward, honest and mostly a burning flame, compared to Willow's composure and her manners.

"Sure thing. Eve'll make sure that you two will be safe, even if she's making threats to me. Sienna Khan does not lose to some fourth-ranked little bitch with tits."

He didn't really get the reference, but he shrugged anyways. If there was some sort of unofficial ranking, Sienna and Willow shared the top spot.

"You're first, together with Willow."

Sienna gave a nod at that, one of those nods that had a complete and utter assurance.

"Hell _yeah_ , and don't you dare forget it! She needs to eat her husband's heart so she can get with you." He grimaced at that. He had that image of Sienna ripping out Jacques Schnee's heart and eating it.

"No, I'm not going to rip out your heart. I _like_ it. It makes your penis hard. That's good. Pleasure is good."

She nodded, several times. She seemed to be convinced, and Jaune sighed. Sometimes, Sienna's logic made very little sense, which usually happened when she wanted to get laid. Faunus at times seemed to be more like animals than they were like human.

' _Sometimes, I worry for you.'_

She'd had the crazy idea to bite him a few times, only to challenge him to bite her back. When she'd drawn blood, she'd hissed at him for not getting punched off.

"Would you abandon me if a better guy came around?"

A snort, immediate and dismissive, came from Sienna's mouth. She didn't even seem to be willing to consider the thought.

"There _is_ no better guy, Jaune."

She looked at him and frowned. "Why else do you think you've been having Faunus women throw themselves at you? You're someone who survived a Pogrom against two hundred. You're _all_ mine. Yes. _Nobody_ is going to get you, even if burger babe teases you."

She paused, tilting her head. A stern look. "If you do fuck her, make sure it'll leave marks. Nobody will think my man's weak." She added some fire to that voice, her lips pressing tightly together.

' _Oh...kaayyyy...'_

There was perhaps some need for a Faunus primer or something, because this just went in a direction that he hadn't been expecting. Then again, he could make the same case for loving two women, one who was still married to her husband and had children.

"I should get out and get Whitley a nice day away from his dad."

He knew that Sienna would just drag him into a quickie or something, knowing that she was in that state where her needs grew greater with time. It wasn't something he encouraged within her, but it happened from time to time. Sienna was as Sienna was, and it was not going to be something that he could easily stop.

"Remember... Next week you're mine. I need my man."

Sienna was a little possessive at times, but he liked that about her. She was, aside from her occasional moments that just baffled him with their oddity, a smart and intelligent woman, a driven fighter for Faunus rights and pretty damn gorgeous when the sweat was dripping down her body.

"Yeah, I'll make sure to get a spot in my schedule for you."

She replied with something that was too crude to respond to, involving something that would have made his mother blush. He should give them a call soon enough, it'd been nearly three weeks since he'd last given them a call.

' _Time flies...'_

He exited the office, finding Whitley looking mightily intimidated by one of the burly members of the organisation, a guy who he'd faced down in the Pogrom. There was no overt threat of force made yet, but the look of the man was like it could kill.

"- se enough, isn't that right? You'll just be like your father, and we don't like that."

' _Damn...'_

"Alright, simmer down, Logan. Whitley isn't his father yet, and I happen to have it on good authority from the boss lady that you'll probably be wanting to explain yourself to her about why you're shouting at a teenager who doesn't even have the majority of his inheritance yet."

The man looked like he'd make another comment, but seemed to recognize him. Jaune's glare upped a level and the man turned around, making a grumbled apology. A hand on the man's shoulder and Jaune spun him around.

"Apologize to him, loud and clear. Khan would kick your ass for disrespecting her guest worse than I kicked yours, so make it snappy."

He was emulating Sienna in her nature, because that seemed to get results. Just punching the man out wouldn't work much, since Whitley looked skittish enough to be on the verge of a panic attack.

Neither Weiss nor Whitley had much ability to deal with angry people, and he wasn't going to let a kid be scared when he was around. He was better than that, and he'd been raised better than that.

' _Dad might've been the one to just punch him...'_

"I'm sorry, Schnee."

The man pushed open the door to Sienna's office, a thunderous barrage of insults immediately flying from the woman's direction about 'being too damn late for a half-born panda abortion'. Jaune didn't suppress the smile, as he patted Whitley on the shoulder.

"Sometimes, you've got to show people that you mean business. Faunus aren't that bad, even if the woman who bosses around the White Fang comes across as a bit of a bitch."

Sienna freely admitted that she was a bad-ass bitch, and she was... eh, his bitch too. He certainly didn't mind using that as a pet name for her. It got her going, so it was alright.

' _That'd go over great with mom...Hey, here's my bitch Sienna. No, she's house-trained...'_

It had been _once_. He'd allowed it because Sienna had suggested it, but he was _not_ wearing the dog ears again. That had been one time.

' _I am calling mom tonight...'_

He had a kid to shepherd through the city. Eve better have made some arrangements, as Whitley looked like he'd rather be gone from this place soon. He put a smile on his face, as Eve appeared. A set of helmets were in her hands and the grin on her face was broad.

' _This looks like a bad idea...'_

* * *

"So, we're here."

His life had flashed before his eyes. Eve's driving style could be best described as 'trying to cause the biggest traffic accident in Vale'. Whitley had held on to her like he was dying, and Jaune just made sure that she was secured, his arms resting around her.

"I hope I never get a driver like you..."

Whitley looked pale and nervous, his eyes wide, Eve giving a big grin and slowly zipping the jacket open a little. She'd changed the top, luckily, something a bit more modest and covering, but still her body looked as fine as it was.

"Would you rather have blonde and hunky over there, hmmm? Secret rendezvous under the moonlight, an abandoned stretch of land to make the suspension give little squeaks, huh?"

Eve was making the kid uncomfortable again, Jaune sighing. "Just... moderate it a bit, Eve. He's still got to go through puberty." A setting of the chin and a look that was a breach of the controlled expression, as the body language spoke volumes.

Whitley was more evocative through his body language than through his facial features, and the unease and indignation was visible.

"I will not be talked to like that by some harlot who knows nothing about the stresses and proper driving protocols!"

Eve laughed, as she shook her head. "Feisty, feisty... Well, that's a good spirit. I'd like to get your big sis in with me for a chat too. Little miss Winter Schnee looks like she needs some attention."

He was sure that Winter would probably be at Eve's throat in no time, if they ever met. Adam and Blake were still somewhat lukewarm, even if Adam was getting the treatment that he deserved. Imagining Winter and Eve...

' _Oh god, that's just...'_

Not a _bad_ view, but it most certainly was not the image he should have of Winter and Eve in a very tight set of lingerie. Willow would probably kick his ass with the mental images that appeared to his mind's eye.

"Mister Arc, are you going to allow her to slander my family name?"

He snapped to attention, looking at Eve, who looked much amused by Whitley's stiff features, the young man's body swaying a little, betraying his unease. Fidgeting was something that he could see the young teenager do.

"Eve, quit it."

He said, not humouring the bovine Faunus more, Eve's expression shifting to an ill-amused one that seemed to have the same broody look that Adam also had from time to time. The twins were different in their temperament, but also similar.

"Going to punish me, _daddy_? Take that big hard beating rod to this bovine beauty, hmmm?"

Her voice was a little rougher, as her eyes looked into his own, sharp and blue as she held the gaze for a moment. He did not flinch from her gaze, her grin broad as she did so. He looked away, at Whitley.

"Well, _daddy's_ here to take care of Whitley here, so you can keep your stuff in your pants, Eve."

She didn't look too happy with that, brushing a hand over him. He didn't get that, but Sienna was affectionate as well, so it was perhaps a Faunus thing. He smiled at Whitley.

"So... Let's get you the Needle experience. Don't worry, we're going to enjoy ourselves."

The Needle was a strip of the Vale entertainment district,several arcades in close proximity as well as some of the best burgers in the Kingdom... or at least that was the claim that they made. He didn't know about that, but he knew that he was going to be getting some fun into Whitley, even if he didn't want to.

"I am not sure whether this pedestrian thing might be worth my while..."

Eve grinned, wrapping an arm around Whitley's head, her prominent chest bumping against the poor guy's head.

"It'll be fun, lil' Schnee! Just let Mommy Eve take you out for a trip across the best of the best, Schnee-ey!"

He watched with slight amazement as she just dragged Whitley along, looking forward to it.

* * *

' _Well...'_

Yang's cheeks were red and her eyes definitely were glued to the screen. Blake was sitting beside her, watching enraptured. Weiss was turning pinkish-blue in the face and her little sister was still trying to get the images under wraps and under control.

' _Woah...'_

The crate had been delivered to their dorm, but the contents most definitely were something that was something they hadn't been expecting. Pyrrha and Nora were looking a little flustered, as the lady on-screen was enthusiastic in her manhandling of some eager 'huntsmen'.

It had been a mistake with the delivery, and they'd called team JNPR's members over, sans Jaune, who seemed to be out, but to see the subject material...

' _Where the wild roses grow, eh?'_

Hard-core pornography. That was the only thing she could call it. Weiss was flustered and flushed, half-amazed at what the bovine Faunus could do with her body. Secretly, Yang glanced at Weiss' chest, which was nowhere near as developed as her older sister's.

On the screen, the 'Rose' was definitely getting plucked. Yang had to admit that the guys were _fit_ , but that she'd much rather like hand-holding and gentle touches. She glanced at her sister to find that the hand was most definitely in the danger zone.

"Well... This definitely is a subject matter that is... risqué."

Someone moaned softly. There was one name, moaned. Yang flushed. It was someone, but it burst the dam. The scene froze. There was a polite cough, as someone seemed to look at the screen, the two men definitely looking not as fine as blonde and hunky. They were professionals, but there was something that just froze.

"So... Weiss... Are you okay?"

Yang felt pity for the girl. Her father had sprung on her that she was to get married to this 'Wolfgarde' fellow, some sort of big-shot fellow from Atlas who was like, dad's age. Weiss did not look happy in the slightest with that, having cried about it. Yang had to admit to feeling both a little happy and a little conflicted for this.

"No. I'm... I'm going to get _married_. I want to- and I'm sorry to say it, but I want it to be _Jaune_. He's-"

Some understanding sounds came from the others, Yang noticed. She hoped that Weiss would be able to manage. Blake pulled something out of the crate and held it up.

"It's addressed to... me? Why would she address something to me?"

A disk was changed, and the porno disappeared. Eve Taurus in her full nude glory appeared on the screen, seated at a chair. This was an abrupt change, and most of the girls watched how the Faunus shifted a little, looking a little bit older than the first movie that they had 'witnessed'.

"Alright, let me get this straight for you, Blake. You blew your shot. Sienna's not giving him his due, because she's a greedy lil' kitty... So, let me put this simple for you. What happened to your mom and dad, ain't happening to blonde and manly. I'm staking a claim. Stay in your fucking lane or I'll make sure you will."

Blake's face seemed to turn pale. This was something of a personal threat, as the woman raised a hand on the screen and made a gesture, a finger raised and the middle finger pushing towards the palm, sternly gazing at the screen. Blake frowned.

"What exactly did she mean with that?"

The small file stopped playing, and Blake grimaced, clearly not very comfortable with it.

"It means that we've got competition. Sienna's just about finished with his education, so he'll be getting through the final trial. Mom and dad had done something like that too... Mom was the fiercest."

That didn't say much to Yang. Kali Belladonna had been a nice lady, but what this had looked like was more like a threat.

"So... That means that she's in the race for Jaune?"

Blake didn't respond, looking at the screen and frowning.

"Still think he'd make great babies." She mumbled, and conversation derailed, as someone started to talk about said babies and how cute it would be to have them with Jaune. It was official for Yang though... This wasn't just a fucking crush.

' _What IS it with feelings?'_

She guessed that it might just be like trying to be better than her mom. Mom ran off, after all. She'd stay.

' _Well... When he's married, we'll see.'_

That was the end goal. Marriage, a nice home and kids.

"How about Raven?"

She winced. She wasn't going to call a girl after her mom. Well... maybe if he insisted. It'd better be Raven Xiao Long then!

Dad needed little buggers to care for from time to time. Best granddad ever, yep!

* * *

He smiled as he watched Whitley score another high score, the game having long-since worn out its welcome on him. Who knew that there was such a spirit in the somewhat arrogant-looking teenager that was Weiss' younger brother. The glowing look in those eyes as the tapping on the buttons continued, Eve giving a look.

"Do you ever think about _kids_ , Jaune? A few of your own?"

He had given it some thought. Sienna was a woman who did not love without at least a few precautions. She was on the pill and got tested regularly, because who knew what sorts of bad stuff she'd had for dinner, or at least, in her own words, like that.

"I'd like some, eventually. Sienna and I haven't really talked about it, not... Not yet. She's twenty-nine and I'm not..."

He halted, looking at her. There was a look in her eyes, something that was both sad as well as desiring. She looked older than she was, somewhat more jaded.

"I'd like a few. A few girls to teach how to use these babies. A few boys to keep in line and let dad make them into men worthy of their woman." A stern nod, as Eve's gaze went to him, her hand brushing over his side.

"A man like you. She's just ahead, but she's not done the right stuff yet..." A grin, as she looked him right in the eyes.

" _Her_ loss... But hey..."

She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. She smelled like sweet body wash and her cheeks were set in a smirk that looked appealing, her horns poking out of her hair.

"That makes the chase all the better, don't you think?"

He shrugged, not very sure that he'd be too comfortable with it. Willow and Sienna came first, before Yang even featured in his eyes... Winter and Weiss...

' _Yeah...'_

She was saying something, but he only caught the tail end of it. "- sure, right?"

He sighed. "I've got obligations to handle. There's a lot of things that will happen. Now I'm out with Willow's youngest, and-" He didn't know what to think. Jacques Schnee thought that he was going to be buddy-buddy with him, a young and impressionable Huntsman...

He checked his Scroll, noticing that there'd been an email attachment that he'd received in the interim. He read the attachment and then frowned.

' _That is...'_

His eyes remained on Whitley to keep an eye out, as he dialled the number, his face showing some annoyance. It would have been nice if people actually kept him informed.

"Mom? What is all this 'Repossession of the house' about?"

The answer wasn't immediately forthcoming, but he could make a decent guess as to what happened. He gave a soft groan, knowing that it wasn't going to be alright.

"I'm sorry, honey. They started to really press for the money, I need-"

He looked at Whitley's happy face, the child being a child for once, rather than the stuffy boy that he pretended to be. It was lightening the burden on his heart, the smile on the young man's face as he worked for his high score.

"I'll deal with it. I'll wire you twenty-five thousand. That should at least be able to pay off a good sum, if you spread it out well."

That wouldn't break the bank, since he had been investing in things. It would pay for a few of the bills, if they really wanted some of them paid. He couldn't get everything paid off without asking one of his friends to spot the money, but that would mean that he would have to ask.

"But you should use that money for your own life! We can still loan! Your father's credit is still mostly untouched! Vivian is the guarantor too, she can put in extra work!"

He didn't think it'd help much. He knew that Sienna was fairly rich for a Faunus, and that Willow probably could sleep in a bed of Lien if she wished, but asking either of them was not going to happen.

' _And who is the one responsible for this...'_

A guess which probably was right. He had signed one contract, and of course, Mister Schnee would want him to be in a good mood. A good financial advisor, a little help to his ailing family...

' _Oh, that's just perfect, isn't it?'_

It was how Jacques Schnee bought you. A little favour here, a little hint there. A good bit of investment and then straight through the heart to own you. Anything that he gave you would be repaid a hundredfold.

"Don't worry too much about it, I'll- I'll find something."

He shut the call down, trying to keep the smile on his face and settling for a half-smile, his eyes narrowed, looking at the younger teenager with a look. He shouldn't blame the child for the sins of his father, watching the genuine smile on the young lad's face.

He looked broodingly as Whitley scored another high score, his eyes catching sight of several girls staring with admiration at the young Schnee scion. He could feel a dash of pride, even though his eyes looked a little tense.

"Problems, Jaune?"

Eve asked, and he grimaced. It wasn't going to be an easy to talk about subject, but it wouldn't make much sense to hide it from her, knowing what he did about her. He had gained a flash of insight into what made Eve Taurus the woman she was, and the love that she held for her brother. When he had restored her back to whole, he had seen what it had been like, felt how she had felt, and it was good.

"Just something with mom. I'm not..."

Jaune's eyes watched as one of the girls approached Whitley, the snooty look not being on his face. It was just like having a little brother added to the bunch, but...

"Bad for business?"

She asked and he nodded softly, looking at her for a while. She was teasing most of the time, but he knew that there was also a serious side to her, one that showed when she was in a state where she had to focus.

"I'm going to do a Horndeeny."

The term was used in the White Fang for a disappearing act, to make someone stop breathing, Eve's eyes looking a little more jaded. He indicated Whitley, who seemed to be animatedly chatting with one of the girls, a blonde girl perhaps a year or two older than him. She looked to be around sixteen-ish.

"His father's been making me sign contracts."

He made a gesture with his hand, and he smiled a little. The gesture coupled with the smile indicated that he'd deal with it himself.

"Looks like it'll be fun to meet with him after the weekend."

She gave a small nod, her hands straightening her jacket. The smile on her face wasn't the normal one, showing more of her teeth than she regularly should.

"Up for a date then on the start of the weekend? I'll bring the toys?"

He wasn't sure whether he should make Eve do something like that. Most of the arrangements were already in place, there just had to be a good moment for that...

' _After the Spa trip with Weiss and her team...'_

"Nah, we'll go for a set of ribs in the midweek, right?"

The codes were all disguised as ordinary things, and Eve, being one of the people who could understand him in a fashion, gleaned the meaning of that. Around the midweek, he'd be either toast or a roast, not very pleasant... But it was something that he would have to do.

' _Well... It feels like we're going to be dancing, Jacques.'_

He pressed the button and then heard the dialling tone connect, speaking a single word. "Monday. Get things ready for the party."

He'd have to act, and there was little chance for something going wrong now.

' _Looks like Whitley just scored himself the number of a girl...'_

Time to get the kid out of here before he lost his virginity or something... Those girls looked like they'd want a piece of him.

* * *

She let her gaze rest on the elegantly shaped chair in which her son sat, his eyes looking as calm and in control as they always did when he was around her. Klein was busying himself with pouring another cup of tea for her, her eyes looking at the expression of the only son that she'd birthed into this world.

"Did you have a nice time with mister Arc, Whitley?"

Her voice was a soft, tired sound, knowing that Winter kept insisting and lying about not being pregnant. It would show soon enough, she knew. Winter was stupid to lie to her mother. Whitley's measured tones were simple, but she could see his body language shift.

The corners of his lips raised a little, as the look in his eyes changed. They were more like hers, more like they were filled with emotion and something resembling the human expression.

"It was a pleasant outing with Jaune, mother. We went to Miss Khan. She is a woman of... _dubious_ personality."

There was a softness to the youngest child's voice, as he put the tea down on the saucer. He hadn't noticed the slip-up, but she had. Personal names were taboo. It was always _'Mister this_ ' or ' _Miss that_ ' for the formal speech.

"We..."

His body language betrayed unease, a lack of certainty. She knew how to read her son's body language and she knew that Jacques knew so too. Whitley was not someone who could hide his language well yet.

"We went for some plebeian entertainment. Truly, the _things_ the commoners come up with."

She spotted the smile on his lips, the warmth in his eyes that had been absent for years. She could feel the warmth settle in her heart, knowing that her son had _enjoyed_ the presence of Jaune. A look on his face changed softly.

"Do you think... Do you think it _feasible_ that a suitable match might be made between J- _Mister Arc_ and my sister?"

A hesitation, as she looked at her son, whose eyes seemed to carry that warmth still. She shifted, the dress she had opted to wear today glistening in the soft illumination. Klein looked at her with eyes that questioned her. She would let the man think, Winter was being moody again and had shut herself in her room after a tantrum.

"Weiss, you mean?"

She asked, in order to clarify. The tension in her son's body increased. Clearly, there was more below the surface. She looked at him and he took the same body language as her husband did, his tone a touch sardonic.

"Well, I most certainly cannot offer _myself_ , can I, mother?"

He froze up completely after he had said that. She stared for a moment and the cup of tea quivered. That most definitely was _not_ going to be received happily by her husband. She let her gaze rest on him for a moment, not responding yet.

"No, I would imagine not. It would be not done for a young man to come out as a... _man_ who prefers the company of other men."

She hesitated, looking at her son, her expression changing to one that was more maternal. She was not going to give up on her only son. No matter what, she would support him.

"It's okay, Whitley. I'm... I love you, no matter _what_ you feel for people."

He looked a little lost, shaking his head. He frowned a little, unsure of what he was going to say. Weiss was just like him, whilst Winter often had a temper problem.

"No, mother, I..."

A sigh, as he looked at her, most of the defences down. There was a child before her eyes, a child that had been forced to grow up too swiftly to be a real child.

"He's so, so... Guileless. When around Miss Taurus, he's like..."

A look of annoyance, and her son looked away. "like a... He's _dumb_. He's too friendly. He treats me as if I'm not some sort of person with a destiny in the world of Dust, as if I'm just..."

She could understand that. Whenever Whitley was around people his age, he always had to perform. A ringtone, unusual in the way that it sounded, came from her son's Scroll.

"Do excuse me, mother, I have a call."

It was not the ringtone used for Jacques. She had heard that one before, this one sounded a little bit more like-

' _Oh.'_

Her son transformed, a more youthful smile setting on his face, as someone's face came to the other side of the Scroll, only partially visible through the distortion.

"Whitley! Are you interested in coming to the arcade with us again tomorrow?"

Her son smiled, the smile more childish than the forced polite smile that he had to adopt. There was something in her boy that would charm a girl, any girl, something that had been lurking below the surface.

"Maybe. I _do_ have some responsibilities, Marnie."

There was still some hint of formality but... But this was a _start._

"Ditch them. Weren't you saying that you were only in Vale for the Vytal Festival? Come on, let's get some gaming done! _Carice_ would totally want to see you try your best at the Killer Comp!"

The girl's voice was excited, there being a hint of something more. It was a tone that she might've used to a guy she liked. Her boy had admirers. Not a bad thing.

"My father is fairly strict, and my mother..."

She would humour her son. Making friends was more than alright. "It's okay. I can tell your father that it is a 'personal trip', as long as you take Klein with you and several bodyguards."

A giggle from the girl and her son's broadening smile seemed to make this worth it, as he started to talk animatedly with her, seemingly forgetting that she was in the room. She shared a small smile with Klein, watching her only son speak to the girl.

"So, is that big brother of yours coming with his girlfriend as well? He was like, _totally_ hot."

Her son flushed a little, and he gave her a nervous look, his cheeks colouring adorably. Cute, she would add. Worthy to tease about, if she had the opportunity.

"No, I don't think Jaune will be available. He's studying to become a Huntsman and... well."

The girl sounded a little sad about that, but she seemed to perk up immediately.

"Too bad! See you tomorrow, cutie!"

She had a smile on her face. She knew that her husband would have the girl tracked down and taught not to mess with the grand scheme he had in mind for Whitley, Klein looking as a butler should, his face expressionless.

"'See you tomorrow, _cutie_!'?"

He flushed a deep red, her son's composure completely shattered now. She smiled and got up, walking over to her son and giving him a hug.

"Mother, I..."

He hugged her back after a moment. Willow couldn't help but feel that it was a step in the right direction, as Klein gave a small smile, her mind turning to different things.

"I won't tell your father, Whitley. You're my son and your father would not be... _enthused_."

Blue eyes looked into her own, as she smiled at him. "I love you and your sisters more than you can believe. I'm not very happy with your oldest sister, but she will learn that there are consequences to her actions."

Her son smiled at her, his expression almost back to the time when things had still been okay with her and Jacques, when she had not known the cruel truth.

"So, a big brother, eh?"

Her son gave a small 'Che' sound, flushing a little, Willow's eyes warming a little. If Winter had been stupid, well...

' _He loves me, and he said he loved me...'_

"He's supportive. We had a thing called a 'hamburger'. I did not know that they could taste so well. It is different from caviar."

Willow smiled softly at her son as he started to talk. It was in one way, adorable. What Winter had done couldn't be forgiven, but...

' _We will have words, Winter. The Spa will be where we can have a chat, away from the prying ears of your father. Let's hope that Weiss' guy is not too dull... She probably has better taste than you, going for someone her age at least.'_

* * *

 **I'm working on the assassination of Jacques Schnee. It's not like Cinder's assasination in a sudden explosion of Dust and blood. Jacques Schnee is a different animal altogether. Cinder Fall had the benefit that she was relatively unknown and didn't have her guard up. If she could last until Volume 3 without being detected, well, I'd imagine that her being taken care of with a sniper rifle would just be a one-shot kill thing. Jacques Schnee is, as I've stated before, a different animal. Cunning and driven for his bottom line. Underhanded dealings are second-nature for the man.**

 **Ah well, the next time will feature the Spa trip with team RWBY and the Schnee ladies! Fun for the whole family!**

* * *

Omake

He sat there, flushed in the face as he didn't look at her. Her son, gay. Gay for the young man who would be his stepfather. Internally she screamed, as he looked up at her with a pleading look.

"I... I would like it if he were to be approached. I've never felt this way before."

She could scream aloud now. Her oldest had fucked the young man she wanted as a husband, her youngest was... well, it'd just about be damn fabulous if the guy she liked was Jaune as well and now her son was going to be interested in him as well!

Today sucked for Willow Schnee, and not in a good way.

"I... See. V-Very well. "

She would not give up on her son, even if he was gay. She'd deal with this after she cried in the pillow for an evening or something, because this just wasn't _fair_!


	43. Revoltade

**Chapter 43: Revoltade**

 **Spa day, ladies and gentlemen! A mother and her daughters!**

* * *

"But I did nothing wrong, mother! You've got to believe me, Klein believes me!"

Her daughter was _lying_ again. It was such a bad thing. She really couldn't give a damn anymore, the shame burning inside her. Her daughter had raped someone who should have been free to make his own choices in the world, not be saddled with a child at seventeen!

"You may _insist_ , Winter, but until you are _showing_ , you are not to leave my sight. We will have a _nice_ day today at the spa with Weiss's team and the boy that she likes, and you will be _civil_ and _polite_ , even if he stares at you like a hunk of meat and makes you uncomfortable. You are a Schnee, my daughter and you will _not_ shame me."

She wasn't having any of her bratty daughter's antics, no matter what. It wasn't Winter who she had expected such defiance from, but it had apparently been a bad call on her part. Whitley seemed to be positively glowing after he had come back from his _date_ that wasn't a date.

To see her boy smile like that and notice the faint smudge on his cheek that couldn't be hidden was enough to bring warmth to her heart. She knew her makeup and he hadn't properly removed it with the tissue he'd undoubtedly grabbed upon seeing his reflection. She should give him a package of condoms. One never knew what sort of _accidents_ might occur.

"Mother, _please_."

There was a plea in her dear daughter's voice, as the butler puffed his chest out as if he was going to say something.

"Winter, as I've told you before… What you did was _unforgivable_. It's a _child_ , Winter. Not some toy that you can throw away. It's my _first_ grandchild."

Weiss didn't even know yet. It had been secret between the three of them, as well as General Ironwood, who would not comment on it, no matter what. It would have been news, but the man had spun it as 'leave for the Vytal Festival', something that was fairly obvious given her daughter's utter lack of taking holiday leave off.

"I'm _not_ pregnant, mother. I still have my monthly flow. I didn't do anything."

She shook her head, not believing a word of it. Unless she saw it herself or heard confirmation, Winter was lying. Her own daughter, so easily lying to her own mother. She had gone wrong raising Winter, and she would do whatever she could to correct the course, if it was like this.

' _Winter, Weiss…'_

Weiss was to be wed around the time that the Vytal festival had concluded, all thanks to her husband. Anger flashed through her mind as her face was set in a grim look. Her body ached with the frustration spiking through her system, as her face kept carefully in that set look of disapproval.

" _Finish_ your breakfast, daughter. It is time that we are to meet Weiss and her friends. I do _hope_ that you will _not_ act out… or I will have to punish you. Your father does not know _yet_. What would _he_ think about you getting a young Huntsman's child, hm?"

Winter's face looked aghast, as Willow's body shifted a little. Jacques would hardly care until the child was born, and if it was male, he would make it the tertiary heir, if Whitley for some reason disappointed. With the kiss marks on his skin, it most definitely looked like her baby was coming out of his shell…

' _Condoms, indeed. I will have to send Klein to the store to buy some for Whitley…'_

"Could you go to the store to fetch some condoms, Mister Sieben? I feel that Whitley might have a use for them, if his girlfriends keep pressing like that."

The man's smile was genuine and caring, something that she had personal respect for. The man was an effective butler, but in the case of caring for the family, he had more or less become a paternal figure for her daughters, not so much her son. The man would do as she asked.

"Whitley has _girlfriends?_ Did father…"

Her daughter did not understand, which was probably a fault in her education. The military did not give people the grounding in the art of tact, but rather obedience. Her daughter was disobedient and a child, not fit to be able to walk around without a guardian. She'd gone wrong with too much leeway, and her daughter was now _pregnant_.

"Oh, your _father_ does not _know_ yet. Mister Arc took Whitley out on a little trip, incited by your father's word, in order to give Whitley experience… Or, as your father would put it, to bait the trap for the fat boar."

Winter looked a little amazed as if that was news to her. The girl had fucked her man and gotten pregnant, but the thought of her younger brother being popular with the girls was something strange? He was a Schnee by blood, they were a special kind of people.

"Oh, I… do you know them?"

She looked at her daughter, giving her a modest look. It was obviously an attempt to connect, something that was a little more than just a distraction, but there was still the fact that her daughter had done something so wrong…

' _I guess it is up to me to be the better woman…'_

It was a wrong thing to think of her own daughter as competition for the young man who had raised her from the mire of alcohol and despair, but it was sadly how she thought of it. It wasn't her fault that Jaune was someone who clearly had been assaulted by her daughter's foolish desire to _copulate_ with a young man who simply told her _no_.

"No, but they _sounded_ like average teenage girls. I don't think they even _know_ that he's rich."

That was a thing, indeed. That Whitley could attract two girls to be interested in him was just the proof that, with a bit of guidance, the youngest of her children could be blossoming.

' _A father figure… or perhaps an older brother figure.'_

It wasn't something that she'd mind, really. If Jacques were to magically disappear by some stroke of cosmic luck, she _would_ enter the battlefield of love. Winter's little _slip-up_ could be shoved under the rug and the child passed off as a 'fling' with 'mistaken identity'.

After all, looking as fine as she did, she should not be worried about her man getting stolen away from her by her daughter, indeed.

"His bodyguards are with him, in case you were worried. I do make sure that my boy is perfectly safe, Winter… Even if you seem to forget the safety when it comes to spreading your legs before a young man and undoubtedly traumatizing him. You _will_ be apologizing to him, Winter Schnee."

Her daughter's eyes were pained, but there was no fire, no explosion. The girl's attitude was unsuitable for an heir and she was glad that Weiss had the sense to find herself some boy-toy who she appreciated the looks of, because her marriage might sour those thoughts swiftly.

' _Oh, I am not happy, Jacques. It would be a hard sell, but of course… Privileges allowed in Atlas are privileges allowed in Atlas. Weiss still has the Atlesian Nationality.'_

* * *

She walked to the car, wearing a light white dress, clinging to her form. Her eyes looked to the heavens, noticing the threatening rainclouds, Winter dressing formally in a set of clothing that looked like they would not be out of place in a semi-military parade, the style all uniform and clear-cut. Sometimes, she wondered whether her daughter had ever worn something exciting and thrilling, but that thought brought to mind ill-suited thoughts.

Sienna had sent her a picture that definitely was more candid than expected. Jaune looked most certainly a little pressed, with a caption of

' **Wish you were here.'**

Below it, Sienna giving the cattiest of smiles, just because she was getting some. A little pattern of marks on his chest spelled out SIENNA, and from the space below it that she'd left open, her name probably could have been traced.

' _Not with this business… The poor guy must've been too hurt to tell Sienna about what had happened.'_

"Winter, get in the car."

Her daughter obeyed without question. Perhaps today would be a good day. It might be a day to reconnect, to gossip about the cute boy that Weiss had her eye on and be a family…

' _Sienna would just chew you up and spit you out like dinner…'_

Sienna would just go mad if she heard that someone claimed her boyfriend. Sienna had first dibs, but there was a tacit agreement between the two of them now, something that meant that there was… _understanding_ , so to say.

She got in as well, her hand pulling out the small bag where she kept her makeup in, starting to add some touches to her skin that weren't needed for the first few bits, but would make her skin look a little more radiant. The lack of sleep and ruminating about her daughter the rapist was something that was showing in the bags under her eyes, even with her rejuvenated body already having that step towards something remotely accepting perfection in it.

"Mother, I… I may have made an error, and-"

Willow's eyes snapped to her daughter, the red lipstick that she applied to her lips finished with a single stroke, a soft hiss coming from her lips, as she put the tube back into the bag, her tongue licking over the lip that she hadn't worked on yet, her eyes meeting her daughter's as she turned to her daughter.

"An _error_ , Winter Schnee _,_ is _not_ a picture with _your_ face next to a _penis_ , nor is it a _lewd_ picture of yourself sent to the father of your child's Scroll mailbox _, Winter._ I have _no_ words for what you have done. You would be _dead_ if you were not my daughter, Winter."

Winter didn't get it. Sienna would beat the ever-loving fuck out of Winter if she knew. Sienna was an animal in some ways that Willow never got herself, especially when she got drunk. A drunken Sienna could lead to the greatest amusement when she started to bawl about her own problems and her interpretation of said resolutions (Many beatings) and (negotiations whilst trying to work off the hangover) but it could also lead to a tirade about how unfair it is to see people oppressed. Sienna Khan had the heart for her people that many people would think to be lacking.

"Who would be trying to go after me?"

Her lips thinned. The girl did not see the problem in front of her. Jaune Arc was an eligible bachelor, as far as her husband knew. It would not be unfeasible that she would be wed to Jaune by force or coercion.

"I know a _few_ people who are more than a _little_ affected by the actions of Jaune Arc, daughter. Have you not _noticed_ just how _many_ people know the name of the Hero of Vale? His actions during the Docks incident have placed him in a similar bracket as his partner Pyrrha Nikos. He makes _waves_ , daughter. This admission of the eldest Schnee despoiling the young man's innocence and purity would make the stocks drop… And your father would _not_ be very happy with that."

Winter looked a little pale around the nose, as she took a deep breath, her eyes looking dubious, doubting something that was apparently apparent to her, but not to her _dearest_ mother. That look was Winter being indecisive about something.

"What if I marry him? It can be a-"

' _Oh no, you fucking won't be marrying the man I want to marry.'_

Willow gave a deep dark sound in the back of her throat, something that made Winter inch back a little, her eyes glinting with fear, as Willow looked at her with a gaze that bore her full wrath.

"You _dare_ to suggest that he, as a young man with his _whole_ life ahead of him, marry a _woman_ , and I say that as a mere statement of your age of twenty-two, who has _raped_ him, taken his liberty and has the sheer _audacity_ to comment on it like there is _nothing_ wrong with marrying someone who he should, by all reason, _despise_?"

Her voice was frosty and cold, as she gave her daughter a glare, her eyes not even giving an inch.

"Were you just _born_ stupid or did the military just drain all of your intelligence out of your brain? I didn't raise a stupid girl and your father would not even think twice before you would be wed."

Winter gave a soft whimper, Willow knowing that she'd scared her daughter, but this was supposed to be a _fun_ day, before the worries for Weiss' marriage would take over. Thunder boomed above them in the skies, the overcast weather starting to threaten to rain down on them.

She had a bad feeling about this. A _very_ bad feeling.

* * *

She stepped out of the car first, looking for her daughters and offering a hand for Winter to climb out of the car as well, spotting the white ensemble that her daughter wore, one of her outfits that were more suited for the different types of weather, from the Snowpea line. It was a nice outfit, she supposed, but it made her look a little awkward standing next to her partner in red and black, who currently was talking to Jaune, her daughter's gaze directed towards the young man with-

' _Oh…_ _ **no**_ _.'_

Her gaze drew to Winter and it was damning, as Winter's pale feature seemed to grow even paler. She noticed that her daughter had noticed them, bouncing up to them with a zest to her steps.

' _Please don't say anything, Weiss. Please let this be an optical mirage or something. He told you that it wasn't going to work, so why is he here? Perhaps he's just in Vale for something? Yes, he just took the bullhead with you guys and is saying goodbye. Your hot guy is coming soon, he lives in Vale and is caught up in traffic…'_

Hope tried to blossom in her heart as her youngest daughter smiled. That smile meant that she was happy. Willow felt dread grip her heart.

"I brought my team and… and the guy I like."

She put a smile on her face, as she looked at Jaune Arc. Her eyes were colder than Atlas nights as they met Winter's after verifying that Winter was looking too. Whatever optimism remained inside her heart was squished into a ball and thrown into the icy glacier of anger that had suddenly appeared.

"How _nice_ , Weiss."

Weiss turned around and her expression changed, looking at Winter's face with a look that could _kill_. Winter looked a little wan herself, but that look never changed, as her face was set in such a way, her voice almost deliciously sweet.

"The _boy_ she likes, _Winter_. It's the boy she _likes_ , _look at him._ "

' _Look at the boy you raped, Winter. Look at the happiness that you are crushing with what you bear in your womb. Is this what you wanted? Breaking the heart of your younger sister and your own mother? You stupid, stupid, ignorant and foolish daughter.'_

Winter merely gave a soft sobbing sound, as Olav cleared his throat. The bodyguard/driver was already preparing the car for departure once again.

"The boot is prepared for the bags of the Young Lady, Lady Schnee."

It was time to pretend that everything was _fine_. Willow's eyes were warm when they looked at Olav, as her grip on her daughter's arm made the skin turn white with how tight she held it.

"Thank you, Mister Olav. You are too kind."

* * *

Jaune didn't really know what to expect. When Weiss had invited him, he'd expected something like the trips that his sisters went on, Saphron and Camellia having actually been to one fairly recently, if memory served. With the financial status of his family in mind, it had been an evening of working on the books, making sure that mom had enough money in the bank to make sure that the first down payments were being made.

A simple call to Sienna would probably have solved the issue, but he wasn't going to drain her bank account by being too presumptuous. She had actually worked for her money, he was still a Huntsman in training.

"So, do we look good?"

Yang asked, as Weiss darted off to her mother, clearly very excited to be going on the spa trip. He didn't really know what to say. Yang had opted for a top that made her very prominent breasts stand out, the large mammaries bound with a strip of fabric that was at the very least something that would break under vigorous exercise, and clearly had been selected…

Blake wore something like her usual style, but showed an awful lot of cleavage too. Weiss was normal, wearing something that was suitably fashionable, and Ruby… just had worn her regular outfit.

He didn't know what to think, either. The girls had been affectionate, even though he'd barely done anything. He felt bad for them being so worrying about him. Weiss had been peppering him with questions, from how he liked his steak 'grilled with some rareness in the centre' and what his favourite music style was. It was more a line of questions you'd imagine from a girl trying to court you.

They were over that, he'd said that she was just a friend and that it would be like that, and Weiss had accepted that. It probably was just something out of a curiosity, something to better get a grip on how he was.

He wanted them to enjoy one day of peace, before he'd have to face the music. One day before he'd do something that would ensure that he'd either be dead or have done the impossible…

Though the impossible seemed to be more than possible these days. He smiled, Yang making a particularly funny joke, her eyes lighting up. If he'd have to pick a girlfriend, it would most definitely be Yang. There was something about her, something that seemed to light up in her eyes like a spark, but it didn't compare to the explosion in Sienna's. The others… well, Blake wasn't very active, neither was Ruby. Weiss was like a daughter to him, but her older sister…

' _She looks bad. Undoubtedly she's had a tongue-lashing from her boss.'_

He didn't _blame_ her, at least. Well, maybe he did, but it was also a sign of how she was. Winter was a woman who was bold and accepting, driven by her desire and ambition… A _brat_ that acted like one when she was denied the little gift that she _generously_ bestowed upon him.

He couldn't help but care for them though. Willow looked bad, like a sleepless night had been passing over and over through the movie of her life, her husband causing her grief, undoubtedly.

His Scroll beeped and he answered it, hearing the excited giggles on the background, a familiar face on the display. Whitley Schnee looked a little pale and nervous, cheeks heated.

"Good eh, morning? Wait, does your mother know you're with girls right now?"

This definitely was _not_ Whitley's bedroom, as the young man looked like he was definitely flushed, one of the girls already having shed half of her clothing. It was ten in the morning. Whitley most definitely was still clothed, which was a good thing.

"Do you… Do you have a moment to talk? I might have made a… _little_ error in my schedule."

' _This is about as wonderful as it can be…'_

"Did you at least use a condom?"

There was a flushing of Whitley Schnee's face, as he mumbled something about being embarrassed.

"Do you think you could go and… _Buy_ some? Please? As a favour?"

Jaune just nodded, mentally filing it away. "What's the address? I'll be right over, I'm actually just… Oh nevermind, I'll get there with some public transport or something. I'll keep it a secret from your mother and sisters, alright?"

The face of a relieved Whitley was something worth a gander, and Jaune mentally made a little mental arm-pump for the young lad. Sure, he'd lost his virginity only a month and a half ago, but it was still something that he'd been bearing the fruit of.

"That would be wonderful, Jaune."

Someone on the background made a little cheer.

"Come on, hot stuff! We'll do a doubles session! Don't worry about the girlfriend, it'll be hush-hush, check check?"

He didn't want to know what that meant, but he knew that Whitley definitely needed to get condoms.

"I'll be there soon… _With_ the condoms. Send me the address to my Scroll and I'll get there…"

The ping of the address was given, and Whitley shut the connection off. He caught sight of someone who had a fairly big set of breasts for a sixteen-year-old and he gave a mental 'lucky bugger' thought as he tucked his Scroll in his pants again, looking at the members of team RWBY, Weiss on the way back to them.

"Guess I've got to help a little brother out, heh. I'll be there once I've bought some condoms for the guy."

He wasn't going to let the guy get into trouble. Shit happened around him to people he cared for, and if he could help out, he would.

"Weiss, I'm sorry, something's come up, I need to take a moment to bring someone a bit of assistance."

Her face fell, and he smiled at her. "But hey, I'll be there in an hour or so. Someone needs a bit of big brotherly advice, so I'm just going to help them out and then be with you guys, okay?"

She looked hopeful, as she smiled back at him. "Th-thanks for coming, a-at least. It's… It's nice to have you, even if it'll be a bit later. We'll get a manicure and a pedicure and… maybe we can wait for you before we enter the sauna?"

She was adorable, he knew. He liked the shy side of her, even though there was no chance of her holding feelings for him. It was too much for him. Once upon a time, in another universe, he might have wildly chased after her and regaled her with wonderful songs, but now?

"I'll tell your mom that I'll be gone for a bit. She's nominally in charge, isn't she?"

It probably was the Atlesian protocol that he knew by heart that made him phrase it like such, Weiss nodding her head delicately. It was her best behaviour, he knew. She loved her family and he knew that her mother loved her and her brother and older sister just as much as Weiss loved them. Things had been rocky, but they'd be better soon.

' _A life for peace…'_

He couldn't stop himself from smiling, as he let his eyes look into hers.

' _Well, I'll bear that burden.'_

He approached Willow, whose eyes were cool and distant, looking at him with an expression that seemed to be caught between something resembling a weary tiredness and something else, something darker, a strong grip on Winter's arm, who looked very uncomfortable. Her mother must have given her a piece of her mind on what was appropriate.

"I've got to do something. Mind if I get the address? I've got to swing by the pharmacy for… eh, yeah. Something for a friend, they're not wanting a child, too young, really."

Whitley was somewhat too young to be a father. If he didn't wrap himself up, he'd get some venereal disease or something, so that wasn't going to happen whilst Jaune Arc was an honorary big brother.

A soft, shuddering exhale, as Willow closed her eyes and then pressed her lips together. Winter seemed about to say something but yelped as her mother squeezed really tightly, hurting her daughter a little. She _really_ wasn't happy with her daughter for some reason.

"I… I _see._ Mister Arc, the address is…"

Her voice was light, a touch sad, but there was also anger in her voice.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it. You've got _nothing_ to worry about."

He could see the look in her eyes, as she put the smile on her lips that meant she was sad.

"No, I suppose… I suppose you would _not_ wish that, Mister Arc."

He departed, getting himself towards the bus stop, the group getting into the car that'd been the one the older Schnees arrived in.

It was time to get some young teenager some condoms…

He'd be a good big brother figure. He'd always been a little brother, so he'd be a good big brother to Willow's son.

He owed her at least that much for being a wonderful woman.

* * *

She felt numb. She felt so very _numb_. She felt… _pain_.

She looked at her oldest daughter, the one who had been her pride and joy until Weiss had arrived. Her eyes were starting to tear up, but she would _not_ break down in public. She was Willow Schnee, daughter of Nicholas Schnee. Her father had taught her well, and she would _not_ cry.

"Get in the car, _Winter_."

Her voice was dull and dead, as she near-pushed her daughter into the car, not being rough, but being more direct than she should have. Her heart bled, hurt and torn from the way that he'd said it, as if it was merely a formality. He'd been avoidant, he'd not been warm, and she could understand that.

Winter had taken from him that moment of joy, that happiness and wanted it. Now he wanted to terminate it, the little life that might be her grandchild, all because of that _stupid_ daughter of hers.

She should not hate her own children, nor should she wish to hurt them, but right now, she wished that Winter Schnee was not related to her so she could _tear_ her _apart_.

Weiss sat down next to her and the boisterous blonde teammate started to make a comment, as she put her hands in her head and exhaled slowly. It didn't stutter as if she was upset, though it did. She wasn't crying, it was just water leaking from her eyes. She was just gathering herself, of course it wasn't that she was _crying_. She'd mastered the art of having water leak out of her eyes without making a sound.

She gazed through the slits of her eyes at her oldest daughter, who seemed to be aware of what she was going through, more aware of the feelings that her mother had, as her hands brushed over her eyes and the smile was back in place.

' _Time to be the mother Weiss needs, rather than the mother who wants to beat Winter Schnee until she's not even recognizable anymore.'_

"Have you ever been to the spa, Ruby?"

The team leader seemed like the youngest and most easily excited, and something in those eyes just made her wish that she hadn't asked.

' _What would it be like to have a child again, made with love?'_

He didn't want the child that Winter had _made_ with her actions. He was going to terminate it, what else could he have meant with that? Her daughter, the vile girl that had raped the young man. If she could do so, she would take the burden on her own body, sparing Winter and Weiss the pain of giving birth…

"No, Mrs Schnee. You must go a lot, Weiss said that you've been… better acquainted. I'm sorry, we overheard your… conversation."

It was a hesitation, one of the moments where the girl looked at her and knew that there had been words said that should never have been said. She kept her face as carefully smiling as she could, but she felt the pain.

"It's… It's better now, between the two of us. We have had our differences, but there is now… an accord. With her impending marriage to mister Wolfgarde, I would say that there is some stride made in our relationship as mother and daughter."

' _Don't think of it. Don't think of what you lost. Don't think of what will be taken from you.'_

She _was_.

She couldn't stop it.

Willow looked at her daughters, spotting Winter's near-frightened look and Weiss' demure, silent expression, she could barely stop herself, as she exhaled softly. Her head rested between her hands again and she was leaking again. Someone had to make sure that her eyes stopped leaking, and there was shaking of her shoulders too.

She wanted to _drink_ again. She wanted to drink again, forgetting the past, but hat would not make her happy. She wanted her man, she wanted to hold him and make him feel the beauty that was Willow Schnee, or Arc, or whatever he wished to make their surname, if he so desired.

She rocked a little, trying to stop her eyes from leaking. It was all so bad. It was all so bad and she really wanted to drink, to make the pain stop again. There was some alcohol in here somewhere, she knew that, because it was always stocked with some light wine. A little sip, something to chase the pain and drown it again.

' _Why does my life have to be such a mess? Why do I even try and bother? The young man that I want to have love me, impregnating my eldest child and my middle child fancying him… I want to be a good mother, and a good mother does not cheat on her husband.'_

She knew that, and she wanted to make sure that he knew that too. She was a woman who kept her promises and her vows, even if her husband did not. To love and cherish forever was but a fading dream, after all.

"Mother? Are you… _alright_?"

Weiss' voice sounded pitiful, she heard, but she just couldn't stop. It was a low moaning sound that came from her lips in response to the words, a soft moaning murmur of a woman who was at the edge.

' _A drink sounds really good… A strong drink. It'll be back to drinking against, because my stupid bitch of a daughter got knocked up and he's going to kill your unborn grandchild… fuck…'_

"I'm okay… Mother just heard some _bad_ news this morning, it's… It's fine, Weiss."

She raised her head from her hands but couldn't muster a smile for her daughter. A soft whisper escaped her lips.

"Your boy is _cute_. I hope-"

She couldn't say it. She couldn't say 'I hope that you'll have fun', because that would go against her own heart's feelings. Why did it have to be so complicated that _both_ her daughters had fallen for the same guy that she was in love with? What was so special about Jaune Arc that could make both her daughters think him as a worthy partner?

' _I don't think there's a shortage of those qualities.'_

If Jacques hadn't been her husband, Jaune Arc would have been _fucked_. Jaune Arc would have had the _nastiest_ , _sexiest_ , _kinkiest_ bed-breaking _sex_ that she could deliver. She knew his pleasure spots, the dirty little thoughts that he'd never voice to Sienna, the things that he barely knew himself, but which her experience could deliver. He would be like the clay in a sculptor's hands, and she was the sculptor that made him into a _man_.

Something tugged at her memory, a far-off recollection of something. A dawning feeling, as she remembered something from the classes she'd taken on diplomacy.

"I hope things go well with his little side-trip before he joins us, Weiss."

Her head went between her hands again and she most definitely did not start to cry. There was just water leaking from her eyes and she might just be inhaling a little harder than usual. Nothing that could be faulted to anything but a momentary segment of weakness leaving the body.

"Mrs Schnee? If there's something we can do to help…"

The sweet silver-eyed girl asked and she wiped her eyes. This moment of not-crying was definitely something that she needed, as she tried to calm herself down.

"Just… Just a bad moment, girl. Sometimes, a woman has to take a few hits whilst she is in a relationship, but it's nothing that I'm not used to."

She'd said too much. The looks in her daughters' eyes darkened, and there was anger in the eyes of the other girls. She didn't feel like she had the energy to care about it anymore. What was there in this world that _wasn't_ crazy?

The young man she loved with her heart, moreso than her husband, had been raped, he was going to get something to terminate the pregnancy, and she _would_ make sure that Winter swallowed it, because it was his _right_ , and… and the whole feelings Weiss had for him. It was a _mess_.

"Well, he shouldn't! You're _still_ his wife!"

The blonde one with the sizeable chest commented, and Willow snarled a little.

"My _husband_ sold my daughter off to Wolfgarde for his stupid profit margins, _girl._ Don't tell _me_ what my husband can't and can do, because I've been _married_ to the man for longer than you've been _alive_."

She felt bitchy, and she knew that she shouldn't, rubbing her temples to try and get a semblance of control in her mind, as she tried to calm herself a little. She was getting too emotional, it wasn't good to deal with Jacques when she was emotional.

"Mother, I-"

Winter received a look that was a little fiercer than usually was the case.

"Shut _up,_ Winter. You've said _enough_. You _left_ Weiss and Whitley when you were sure that your father was investing time in your brother."

It was a curt statement, but it carried her anger. She wasn't going to let her daughter speak horrible things again in the company of her other daughter.

"We're going to have a _nice_ day today, and we're going to _behave_. We are _Schnee_ and we are better than most."

Someone whispered in the silence that fell suddenly.

"Gee, Weiss, your mom is scary when she looks like that."

She was a damn mother, and she'd better damn well hope that she was scary enough to put an errant and pregnant daughter in her place.

* * *

Jaune stood outside of the house, sort of wondering whether he should just knock. He rang the doorbell, which seemed to be broken, the look of the place not being very secure. It made him worry a little for Whitley, the girls having seemed to be a little rough and tumble.

He knocked on the door, waiting for someone to come and open it up. The package of condoms that he'd gotten were regular size. Sienna usually bought them, so she didn't really let him get much choice for what stuff she bought. The ribbed ones ' _with extra pleasure for her_ ' definitely were a little icky, especially when Sienna was _adventurous_.

The door opened up and he frowned at the wave of smoke that came from the inside, a set of beady eyes looking at him, a woman who was in her late years giving him a look.

"Yeah? You one of Marnicea's friends?"

He nodded, not wanting to make too much of an explanation before he'd be out of here again. The smoke was just an annoying thing. He knew that he didn't like it, with how his lungs ached and hurt.

"Good, they brought some fresh-faced guy here, and you don't look like the fancy kind."

That wasn't a good line of conversation, as he adjusted his hoodie. It was one of the things that he'd worn most, the formal atlesian style somewhat different from the norm here, the hoodie much more fitting. One dressed for the occasion, after all.

"Third door on the left, as you know. See ya, kid. Tell Marn to bring the proceeds after she's milked the guy."

He moved with a little bit more haste, opening the door up and peering in. Definitely the same room, and there was a girl currently unclothed, right on Whitley's lap. The smell of smoke and something that definitely was an intoxicating substance was in the air.

The youngest Schnee looked embarrassed and uncomfortable, as Jaune looked at the girl that came sauntering at him, her breasts exposed as well, though she at least seemed to still have underwear on.

"Thanks for bringing the wrappers. We were all out, and we're going to show Whitley what a good girl's doing for her guy."

He paid attention to the way that Whitley looked. Shy, a little hesitant, not as sure as he was. The body language spoke volumes and it was clear that there was just not the comfort in the young guy that might have been.

' _Yeah, I think I see how this'd play out…'_

He smiled, pushing the younger teenager to the side. She might just be a year younger than him, but he'd sailed the worrisome seas of being an adult yet.

"Come on, Whitley, time to get you back home. Your mom might not be fond of getting with a little harem."

Willow most certainly would not be. With her own children, she at least expected to be introduced to any partner that they would take. He really should talk with her, and he was aware that something was bugging her.

"Won't you stay, Whitley? It'll be fun, perhaps your brother can join in as well."

He looked unsurprised, sighing a little. He heard the other teenager behind him move, and he was aware of her motions. He looked at Whitley, who still was wearing a shirt, some lipstick marks on his face. The smell of the smoke in the air was strong, as the naked girl's breasts rubbed against Whitley's face.

His hand grabbed the wrist of the other girl, before he shook his head softly, his other hand pulling the knife out of the hand. It had been mostly the address that had clued him in where the girls had taken Whitley, the bad part of town. What they'd been doing at the arcade was beyond him, but there was a certain thing that his oldest sister had warned him about.

"I don't think I'll do that, sweetheart. You shouldn't be playing with knives if you can't at least stab a guy, y'know."

The fully naked girl made a snarling sound, a small switchblade at Whitley's throat. Disgust showed on his face, as he extended a hand, the Glyph appearing to around the wrist that held the blade, slowing down the motions. The glow was startling, as Whitley's eyes went wide.

' _Yeah, typical honey trap scheme. If the guy's getting with them, they'll blackmail for a good bit of cash. Viv was right to warn me about that…'_

It was a mess, but people needed to earn their money. Another Glyph pulled around the girl at his side's waist, his Aura supporting both of them. "We're going, Whitley." He said, pulling his hoodie off and tossing it at the young man.

The jacket was nowhere to be seen. Neither was the wallet within the jacket, and Jaune gauged the ability for Whitley to be able to maintain a dash as 'marginal' at best.

"GUYS! WE GOT A FAT SHARK HERE!"

' _Yep… Reinforcements…'_

"Whitley stay at my side. It's going to get a little more dangerous than I expected."

' _Why does it always go wrong? Am I blessed to attract insanely attractive women but also suffer horrible fights and such?'_

There might be some truth in that, as he threw the topless babe at the one without anything on, the two colliding with each other. Having gone without his weapon, he momentarily lamented it before he ripped a table leg off the table, the drug paraphernalia scattering to the ground.

"Alright… Just tell me whether some come from behind…"

' _This'll be just like the Pogrom…'_

"Our Semblance, why do you have it?"

The question came, and he growled.

"Just keep your eyes out for guys coming from behind. I'll answer the question later."

There was a cowed Whitley that followed after him, as the first half-dressed woman just leapt from the shadows, a set of filthy-looking syringes wielded like cat claws or something.

' _Just my fucking luck…'_

Druggies and robbers and blackmailers…

The table leg hit the woman in the face and she went down, twenty-something-year-old body just hitting the ground, after which his heel slammed down on her face to knock her out.

"Just step over it… Don't worry, I don't kill people."

' _Yet.'_

This was going to be one hell of a fight…

' _At least the girls are happy at the spa…'_

* * *

The locker room was empty, as she had rented the entire place for the day. Only staff were allowed, with the upscale place having everything that a young woman, and even older women, needed for their maintenance. It was a blessing, perhaps, that they were not really separated by anything, as she let her eyes gaze at the bodies of her competitors.

The blonde had a very nice set of breasts, her sister looking ready to blossom soon with a year or two, her own daughters owning both a very fine set in Winter's case and something that still required a few years of growth in Weiss' case…

And the less said about the Faunus, who seemed to be under the impression that it was okay to just flaunt her body. Even Willow had to admit to herself that that rump was very fine.

' _When has it been that I, Willow Schnee, have ever had to compete against another woman for the favour of a young man?'_

Her eyes met her eldest daughter's, the anger inside them not stopping. The girl just hadn't gotten the sense in her mind, and she smiled.

"Winter, come over here for a moment. Girls, by all means, do go ahead. I just need to apologize to my daughter for being utterly crass earlier."

' _What would Sienna even think of me if she heard that Winter did that?'_

She wouldn't be very happy, to say the least. The Belladonna girl had told a little about how the fighting had been for her father's hand, and that had been apparently pretty fierce, because it'd nearly brought Menagerie to war. Desirable men were not in a surplus, and Faunus were fierce fighters.

' _Oh… Oh gods no.'_

"Mother, I'm so-"

She realized what Sienna Khan _would_ do. With the position that Sienna Khan held, essentially speaking as the Council for the Faunus, she would be able to make sure that a _very_ firm statement was given.

"Blake, about that earlier thing with the fight for your father's eh… wife position, what would happen if someone happened to claim Sienna Khan's intended and begot a child with them? Since she is the successor to your father…"

The girl's face showed some curiosity, but the girl answered easily, confirming her worst fears.

"Well, she'd have to respond in kind, of course. She is Sienna Khan, the High Leader. It's a loss of face if she didn't do anything and let her partner be claimed by another person."

She smiled, but it never reached her eyes, and she nodded. The questioning look in the Faunus girl's eyes was enough for her to elaborate.

"Just a little clarification, my dear. I have made your mother's acquaintance and she strikes me as someone who is more moderate in her views than Miss Khan."

The members of Weiss' team merely shrugged, because it didn't involve them, her attention going to her oldest daughter, who just seemed to be unaware of what she had done. They departed, the door shutting behind her, Willow realizing just what this meant.

' _This isn't beyond a simple vendetta anymore…'_

"What does that have to do with anything, mother?"

A question, as Willow took a moment to breathe in slowly.

"What that means, _daughter_ , is that Sienna Khan's partner is _Jaune_ _Arc_ , the young man who is the reason you have a child growing within you."

Surprise and something that looked like regret in her daughter's eyes, as Willow clapped slowly, a mocking clap. Winter's eyes didn't seem to recognize why the applause would be given, but Willow's voice was sarcastic and dark. Willow didn't feel like Nice Mom anymore…

Not after what Winter _did_.

" _Congratulations_ , Winter. When Sienna Khan finds out that you _stole_ her man and got _pregnant_ by him, you'll be the one who started off the _next_ Great War, between humans and the Faunus this time, rather than just between the Kingdoms. I do hope you are happy now with your _stupid_ actions."

This was just turning into a shit day. If one interracial relationship had kicked off the Faunus Rights Revolution, this would probably cause a global revolution if not an open war against the Schnee Dust Company, which would involve Atlas, get Mistral involved as well…

' _Yes… Knowing Sienna, she'd probably be kicking the door and give my oldest daughter a gruesome fate. She's awfully passionate about her stuff…'_

Her daughter had kicked off a world war with her selfish actions. This _had_ to be a record for idiocy or something… Her daughter was the next General Lagune…

She'd have to see whether she could use whatever kind of friend credits that she'd saved up with Sienna to avert this unmitigated disaster…

"He is dating _Sienna Khan_?!"

Her daughter sounded surprised, but Willow found herself not really caring much more about her daughter's wishes. She snorted, loudly.

"Do you _really_ think he would be _open_ about the fact that he's fucking the White Fang's High Leader in the ass once every Friday?"

She'd seen pictures. Winter's head shook slightly.

"And I guess that it might be fucking time that you told Weiss that you raped the guy she had her eye on, Winter Schnee. If you weren't my daughter, I would smack the stuffing out of you."

She was beyond done with this crap. Her daughter had just unleashed a _world war_.

' _I should've just fucked him when I was with him in bed a few days ago, heedless of the fact that I am married.'_

* * *

 **Oof. This is what you get when you don't explain yourself fully, and some people are just stupidly impulsive and emotional. The whole misunderstanding could have been cleared up if they just talked, but Willow is convinced that her daughter is a rapist, Winter is convinced of her innocence and tries to tell her mother. Weiss just wants to have _one_ good memory. **

**For the people that think that I'm stretching things out - A seventeen-year-old may get lucky with a sniper rifle to take out an unknown. Taking out someone who is well-established as pretty much Faunus Hitler, surrounded by bodyguards? That takes a lot more setup! He wants to have a fun day, but now he's fighting crack addicts!**

 **Leave a review if you'd like!**


	44. Dance of the Knights

**Chapter 44: Dance of the Knights**

 **The final countdown... Will Whitley and Jaune make it out? Will the Schnees have that girl talk between them? Will Jaune have a RWBYWW Orgy? Find out now, in the latest chapter of the dance of tigers! (and I'm adding her to the pairing)**

* * *

Jaune was not very happy right as of this moment. Dodging another swipe from a bat-wielding moron wearing a track suit and having horrible teeth, he swung the piece of wood that he'd liberated for the beating of brigands, Whitley behind him and undoubtedly feeling uncomfortable, scared and definitely needing protection. It was enough to make him _annoyed_. That wasn't a good thing, because he was sure that there would be some kind of horrible surprise waiting for him.

"Jaune!"

He turned around after the druggy with the bad teeth went down like a bottle of gin on a friday night for certain tiger Faunus, spotting one of the girl that he'd knocked silly earlier in the start of the melee, thin and wearing a ratty shirt with 'Pwr Grrlll', a spiky Mohawk standing up with the smear of blood against her cheek where the improvised weapon had hit her, leaping right at Whitley. A Time Dilation Glyph materialized around her waist and he swung his wooden improvised club with the intent to put her down for the count.

Wood met face and the girl passed out, blood coating the club as it quivered in his hand from meeting the face of the girl. He was careful to moderate the force that he used, since none of these people had Aura, trying to keep casualties to a minimum. The Glyph dispelled and she dropped like a sack of potatoes.

"WHAT'RE YOU DOING TO MAH KIDS?!"

The fat woman he'd met at the entrance came hobbling up the stairs, looking like she meant business. His foot met her face, giving her the business with a bit of extra oomph behind it.

"We're getting out of here, Whitley."

They got out of the house after he'd stepped over the woman he'd kicked down the stairs, the thud-thud-thud-splat sound of the woman hitting the ground being enough to tell him that there'd been something that'd broken, yet he did not care much about that at the moment as acrid smells that shouldn't be coming from a human body started to irritate his nostrils, just happy that he was with the fresh air again, breathing in the non-toxic fumes of fresh air and non-drugs.

"Mister Arc, I'm…"

He looked at Willow's only son and shook his head slightly, smiling at the boy as he looked a little sheepishly, still looking back at the place they had just evacuated. There was a bong in the young lad's hand, almost a little like a weapon. Jaune guessed that it'd be good for a hit to someone's face before it'd shatter, Whitley wielding it like a club.

"Jaune, Whitley. No need to call me Sir, Mister or anything. I'm just Jaune."

The kid had a wet stain on his side from a bong that'd been thrown at him, his face a little flushed and weathered in the light of day, the blue eyes glinting with something more than just the cunning that the child displayed usually. Jaune just kept the smile going as he wrapped an arm around him, trying to offer comfort. Whitley moved a little closer, as if seeking the comfort of someone familiar.

"Let's get you with me to the spa, alright? Your mom would like to know where you've been, and I'd feel better if you were safe. Oh, and you can throw that away. Nobody's going to harm you when I'm around, okay?"

Seeing the young guy looking a little lost just made his big brother instincts rise to the forefront of his mind, Whitley nodding lightly and obediently. Jaune thought that he wasn't a bad kid, not that Whitley had ever been a bad kid before.

"They just pulled me into a car after we went into an alley. They said it'd be _fun_ , and… Well, I _had_ to call you, it didn't feel good doing... I just… I didn't know what to do."

He could understand that feeling well, that helpless feeling at times when you had to do things you didn't like, like assassinating a murderous bitch or telling Sienna that you were going to leave when she was in one of her moods. Whitley, with his lack of experience, would be a target for whoever saw the fat wallet and the posh clothing, as he patted the kid's shoulder encouragingly.

"You're safe, that's _all_ that matters."

Whitley looked at him with eyes that seemed to hesitate, a question burning in them that seemed to wish to be voiced, taking a moment to breathe in and out.

"Are you grandfather's illegitimate child? I knew he was in Vale around the time Weiss was born, and…"

' _What? No, he was just there for a month or three to recover from heart surgery, because Solitas' climate is inhospitable at best.'_

Whitley looked at him and a small Glyph materialized on the palm of his hand. It was strange to see it, Willow didn't even know that he could do that.

"The family Semblance. I'm… I've never really tried, it's not… I'm not- Fighting is for _soldiers._ Father always said that I should be better than them."

Jaune smiled at the effort, patting the younger guy's shoulder again in a gesture that felt somewhat familiar, knowing that his grandfather had often done it to Willow. The son of Willow was not as bad as he appeared at times, the burning passion that Willow had being somewhat different from the care that her son held. Whitley was different from Weiss and Winter, a little bit more vulnerable.

"I've been around your mother and…"

' _Honesty works…'_

He cleared his throat, knowing that he should be truthful. It had been too long since he'd voiced the truth, this young boy that he knew so well from the memories of his mother being almost like a stranger to him, a slightly older teenager who only knew the kid as someone who was way too formal for his age.

"I saved her life. I pulled her back from the brink of death and… Her Semblance just latched on. It's… It's humbling to say, but I've seen your mother in ways that she hasn't even seen herself."

It was understanding in his eyes, which looked vulnerable and childish, younger than they should be. Jaune's arm wrapped around the younger boy's shoulder, not rebuffed in the slightest by the youth, Whitley's head turning slowly to face him.

"I'll call my bodyguards, I'm…"

He looked on for a moment, Whitley's sentence just stalling there, a complicated expression on the young teenager's face, the eyebrows furrowing, much like his mother and sister's expression. There was a heavy silence that fell, as they just walked together, a younger teenager and an older teenager.

"She loves you three so much. It hurts her to know that your father is so cold towards you."

There was a pained look in the young boy's eyes as he said that, knowing that it'd hurt to hear that. There was something in them that was hurt, that seemed to feel the pain of those words. Whitley's hands turned white as he gripped them, still held behind his back, the boy fidgeting as if he'd gotten a bad grade and had to explain himself.

' _You shouldn't be worried… I'm just here as a friend of the family.'_

"He _hit_ her. Father is… _touchy_ , whenever something does not go as he wishes. I just wanted to ask about the itinerary for the next day, but-"

There was frustration and pain in the boy's voice, as he seemed confused as to why he spoke. Jaune just watched, rubbing over the younger teenager's back, Whitley's face dark with emotions, like his oldest sister often did. It was a voice that was bitter, pained, older than a boy his age should and yet brittle, like a small snow crystal that was about to land and shatter.

"He _didn't_ hit me. I was the _good_ child, he said as much when I- well, that isn't important. It's always 'Whitley, a Schnee must be…', it's never…"

Jaune gave a low murmur of assent, rubbing the boy's shoulder, feeling that the kid needed it. He could understand that pressure. He had to deal with it himself when dad had died, being responsible for the heavier tasks because he was a guy, Vivian still working.

"When my father died, I've had to do a lot of tasks around the house. I'm… My mother isn't the _best_ with finances. I'm going to be a Huntsman who can support his family."

The younger teenager looked at him, exhaling slowly and yet delicately. It was not the need within him that burned, as above them, the skies rumbled with the odd thunderous boom. He sighed deeply, looking at Whitley's face, which was looking more introspective, yearning perhaps for something.

"Your mother and I _haven't_ had sex, if you're wondering about that."

It was important to make sure that that distinction was made. Whitley made a surprised sound and his face showed disgust, not quite understanding why it was being mentioned. He knew that Jacques might've told his son, but it seemed that Whitley had not known.

' _Good, at least there's still some innocence left.'_

"Weiss came to me a few weeks ago, _offering_ herself to me for my bed for the night. Your father is…"

' _A man who doesn't care.'_

He moderated his words, in the case that the young man might take offence to him speaking in such crude terms. It would not do for the young man to go and inform his father, though Jaune had little cause to think that Whitley would break the confidence that he'd been taken into.

 _"not_ someone who would be unwilling to use his family for such goals. Your mother, a few nights later, was offered as a ' _favour'_. Jacques Gelé is not a man who cares for people in his family, in my opinion."

Whitley went silent, his footsteps hastening a little as he escaped Jaune's hold. Jaune felt bad, saying it bluntly like that. Whitley looked at him with a look that was hurt, perhaps a little more hurt than he should be.

' _I'm sorry, but it's the truth…'_

"Is it all a game to you, to _toy_ with people's feelings?"

The question came from the younger teen, Jaune frowning at the insinuations. He didn't know what Whitley was getting at. The young teenager looked at him, an accusing look in his eyes.

"Mother _smiles_ when she mentions you. She does _not_ smile whenever she mentions father. It was the first time I had seen her smile truly in seven years when she mentioned you."

He wasn't toying with her feelings, he knew that she was married and that she wished to keep her vows. Whitley might not understand that, but he could understand that from where he was at, in his stage of life.

"She does not wish to hurt you all with doing something hastily. Until your father is divorced from her, she will think of your happiness and that of your sisters before her own."

It was a light smile that came to Whitley's lips, something in the young teen's eyes looking to change. A hesitant look, conflicted and doubtful, as all that energy seemed to fade out.

"I would not mind it if… If our _personal_ lives became a little more _entangled_ , if I may use that turn of phrase. I truly _did_ enjoy our outing a few days ago, and… And I do believe that Mother will be happier with someone like you, but- but don't take that as confirmation that I am _alright_ with it, I am just-"

He smiled, the denial behind the wish for a bit more closeness just to deflect. Willow wanted him, he knew, but her children came first. They should. They were all wonderful in their own way. The smile became even warmer, as he ruffled Whitley's hair affectionately.

"I'll always be a big brother to you, if you'll want me to be. Weiss is absolutely adorable when she gets into that mood where she's just huffing and puffing and making that cute smile pop up… and Winter is not- Well, I don't fully approve of what she did in order to get close to me, but I can forgive her for that."

The look on Whitley's face showed concern, before the light little smile came back again like the rain had passed and the clouds were parting again. Above them, the clouds most certainly were not, as he looked worriedly at the skies. It had been overcast for the past few days.

"I'd… I'd _like_ that. A big brother's not… not the worst thing, I suppose. My sisters do not really care for me, but I would-"

' _That's a lie.'_

They did, but they couldn't really show it appropriately. Weiss' defiance of her father, Winter's anger and frustration, seeking an escape through the military…

"They will love you as they should as sisters, once your father is out of the picture."

He was going to kill the man. He looked up as he felt the soft droplets of water against his skin. It was starting to rain, Whitley's expression looking a little darker at the change of the weather.

"I _wish_ mother would divorce him. I remember… I remember her smiling and laughing with us when I was six. It was…"

No boy should be looking like they were yearning for something that was out of reach, but it was something that stuck with him, as Jaune went for his best and easiest smile. He saw a boy in need of a good older brother figure, and he'd always been the youngest, so he'd share some nuggets of his wisdom.

"I'm here, Whitley. Big brother's watching you, and my girlfriend no doubt would've got some words for your father as well. Sienna's a lot of things, but she does care for her best friend."

Whitley's surprised look was amusing to him, as the knowledge that Sienna Khan and his mother were friends. That was a revelation that seemed to have shocked Whitley because his face just lost most of the placid expression it'd had.

Why else would Sienna Khan allow them access to her personal sanctum? He was friends with her, and well, she was his partner, but that wouldn't mean that she'd be hostile…. Well, perhaps. She'd fillet Jacques if she could.

"Khan? _Friends_ with _mother?_ "

He gave an affirmative nod at that question. They were quite good friends too, if the pictures were any indication. She smiled more when she was around Sienna too. He was glad that the two had found some common ground.

"They started drinking together and I started to get texts with them two just drunk-texting me. Your mother…"

He probably shouldn't mention that she'd sort-of tried to get him to sleep with her after their first meeting. That wasn't going to go over well with the young lad, he supposed.

"is someone who _cares_ , at least for those she deems worthy."

That's the best thing he could say. Willow had a way about her that just made him feel better. The rain started to come down, as Whitley yelped a little. He hoped that they could get an umbrella or something.

"Tell me about mother. Is she… Her new look, did you do that? She and Winter could be twins."

' _Winter has the sex appeal of a donkey compared to Willow. Winter is inexperienced, she doesn't know what she has and only goes by the book… But Willow could make a stone turn into pudding.'_

Not to say that Winter wasn't beautiful, on the contrary, Winter had beautiful features that were like a work of art but they did not have the charm of the masterpiece that was her mother.

"I might have done that after saving her life."

They sought shelter under one of the storefronts' overhangs, the smell of the rain in his nostrils as the water droplets started to fall in greater numbers. He hadn't brought an umbrella, but the weather seemed to be finicky for a while. It'd been clear weather a few days before.

"I… I want mother to feel better. Father is… It's regrettable to say this, Jaune, but I do not think he is much of a father. If-"

The teenage boy paused, looking at Jaune for a moment, taking a deep breath. There was a conflict in his eyes, something treacherous that seemed to lurk there, as the honest plea turned to something more in the eyes of the boy.

"If she cares for you and you reciprocate it, will you become a part of the family?"

It was an honest plea, Jaune smiling softly. He could do that. If Willow wanted him, he was sure that he could get something arranged. Whitley was a good kid, and he needed a good role model. No more drug-addicted women for Whitley to be caught up with and him having to spring the kid free.

"I'd _love_ to."

A genuine smile on Whitley's face, as he nodded to himself. His body language shifted to something a little more relaxed, as tension just drained out of Whitley Schnee and something a little more casual and like he had been before when they'd went out for something fun to do with Eve. Whitley Schnee, when he could just relax, looked like any other fourteen-year-old teenager.

"Let us call my bodyguards… They must be beside themselves with worry for father's response. We can say that it was an abduction… It is close to the truth, yes? An abduction, a gallant Huntsman that happened to receive my Scroll call, with no mention of… things best left unsaid."

He laughed, patting Whitley's head affectionately. It wasn't rebuffed with some sort of bluster, Jaune could see a certain fondness in the teenager's eyes that had been awakened because of this honest chat.

"Of course. Abducted by a set of girls who wanted to do horrible stuff to your body. I simply happened to get your emergency message and tracked you down. No mention of being hit with a bong. Nope."

Whitley looked a little quizzically.

"What's a bong?"

Jaune started to laugh, giving a big smile. Whitley's ignorance of some things in the world was definitely precious.

* * *

Willow barely felt the massage as her mind kept rumbling over the topic on her mind. She looked at Winter, whose face looked as pensive as it should. The girl didn't _know_ what she had done. A world war, with Khan in the lead, would be nothing short of a massacre.

There had been peace for so long, for decades, but the fear of what the White Fang could do… For five years they had been agitating against her, her daughters knowing the terror as well…

She caught sight of the blonde called Yang luxuriously stretching, her bountiful chest moving softly with the stretch, a slow flex of muscles showing a Huntress' physique. It was a minor stab of jealousy that was smothered as she watched her daughter, whose eyes looked a little hesitant at her.

"Are you mad at me, mother?"

She shook her head, not quite feeling like explaining herself to her daughter, the masseuse giving slower pushes with her hands, a sigh escaping her lips.

"No, sweetheart. I'm just _tired_."

Weiss could be a fussy girl at times, when things didn't go as they should. Weiss was not intended to be the heiress, it should've been Winter, but Winter ran from the household. Winter looked a little guiltily at her, understanding well that she'd messed up.

"Thanks for taking us, Mrs Schnee."

She made a hollow sound, trying to forget. Someone was missing, someone was definitely not present, and it ached inside her. As she got up after the massage was done, she let her fingers slide over her body, the sweat that clung to her body from the massage feeling like labour done well, as her eyes beheld the girls.

They were girls, because they hadn't seen the world as she had. They hadn't felt that _pain_ as she realized that the young man she loved would keep her to her word, to her vows. She was not going to suffer through another of those hurtful moments, even if she had to break that vow.

She washed herself, carefully scrubbing her skin, the bareness of her skin hardly a bother. They were just girls and one woman here, after all, her guidance desired by her youngest daughter. The bathing suit was just a formality, even though modesty was not typically very high on her list, Atlas having a culture of people going to the sauna in the nude. With her renting the entire place for the day, there would be _no_ issues.

A towel was provided, as she saw her daughters shift a little nervously as she joined them. Winter still looked like a good girl who'd been schooled in how big a fuck-up she had made, whilst the other members of Weiss' team looked like they had put in the additional preparation to look perfect.

"Mother, I'm… Do you think I could have a moment alone, with the boy I, no, _we_ , like?"

' _Oh for the sake of-'_

She gave her eldest daughter a look, as she put a smile on her lips. She knew how to play the mother that they should have had, in an attempt to mend the rift that'd been made.

"No scandalous things like an orgy, my dear. Your father would finally kick the bucket from the minor heart attack he'd have after hearing that his youngest daughter had been caught in such debauchery…"

Her daughter flushed, and Winter looked ready to say something, but Willow wasn't having it. Winter had messed up, and she would _not_ mess Weiss' day up. Wolfgarde would be marrying her daughter and making her his wife.

"We're willing to share, well… I _think_ we are. We've talked, and I think we'd like to share our virginity with him."

She saw Winter turn pale as she seemed to click together another conflicting conclusion. Willow just felt a headache coming up. She knew Jaune better than most here, because she'd known from his memories how he worked, how noble he was.

"You're still a virgin? So he _didn't_ have sex with you?"

Weiss looked a little saddened by her sister's disbelief, and Willow could see the clouds hang in the sky, already preparing for that moment when the thunderclouds would be showering them with another thunderous revelation.

"Well… _no_ , I offered but he said no."

' _Stupid girl… You stupid girl, say anything more and you'll break your younger sisters' heart.'_

Winter looked a little forlorn, as her fingers brushed over her knee, rubbing it slowly. Winter's eyes were doubtful, her voice sounding odd and peculiar.

"Oh. But he said that he'd slept with you two."

Weiss looked at her older sister, a little confused about why Winter would say something like that, her eyes a little suspicious. Willow knew that look well, having worn it herself as well. It was sadly, something that had to be fixed with time.

"When did you get the time to talk with him, Winter? I thought you didn't like him…"

Her eldest daughter kept silent, so Willow thought that it might be best to _clear the air_ ¸ in a manner of speaking the truth, uncomfortable though it might be.

' _The shaft that is supported with proper care for supports, crumbles not.'_

"Your dear sister is pregnant, Weiss."

Winter's look of consternation at her mentioning it, she hardly cared about at this point in time. The pain was raw again, as Winter saw what an error she'd made. Weiss beamed at her older sister, undoubtedly happy with the news.

"By Ruby's uncle? I'm so happy for you, Winter!"

Willow could see the other girls have a brief upwelling of misplaced happiness as well, as Winter seemed to beg her with her eyes not to continue. She had half a mind to finish the words she wished to say, but she was not going to.

' _Time to live with the choices you make…'_

"No, I'm-"

Her hand grabbed her daughter's thigh and she squeezed _hard_. Winter didn't make a sound, but she'd made sure that her daughter shut up and let her mother talk for her.

"The father is going to abort it, and you _will_ do it, Winter Schnee."

Weiss' face fell, as did the two nieces of that annoying man, as Willow's gaze met Winter's, whose indignant sound was loud and disrespectful.

"I tied him to the bed and was going to do it, but he woke up! I didn't do anything else, mother!"

Willow shook her head, her lips parting to bare her teeth. Her eyes were cold, and she hissed softly, but did not speak with a raised voice, her displeasure and more of those dark, vile emotions inside her vomited out.

"I am _still_ upset, Winter. I had expected _more_ of you. A girl from my blood should not be laying hands on anyone without their consent."

Winter made a sound like a kicked cat, but Willow did not think it mattered. It was all done and over with anyways. She could hear the door opening and saw Jaune walk in wearing a set of swimming trunks, followed by Whitley, whose pace was a little more hesitant and nervous.

She didn't give a damn anymore about her decorum as a mother and nominally the host, as she looked at her daughters with a look that cautioned them before getting up and giving him the best smile she could manage.

"Mister Arc, how pleasant to see that you've arrived. Did everything go well with your trip?"

He smiled, like the bright ray of sunshine in her life should. His eyes were warm and loving, and they looked deep enough to dive into. She wanted him. She wanted him, craved him and wished that he'd be there with her, a band around his finger with her name on it.

"Whitley needed a bit of assistance. We've had quite a morning, Willow."

Her son looked almost shy as his gaze strayed everywhere, before he tried to give a summary, straightening his back.

"I have… I have seen Jaune beat his way through a den of addicts, Mother. It turns out that they were not very polite company, at any rate. I think my brief dalliance with those girls is now well and truly over."

Relief flooded her, as she sat down again, taking a deep breath and beckoning for her son to come closer, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close to her chest. Whitley didn't struggle against the hug too much, not that she'd let him. Her baby boy was safe again.

"Thank you, Mister Arc, for assisting my son. I know that I can only apologize in this situation, but… _thank you_."

The other girls looked like they did usually, as her son tensed a little in her grip. She hugged him a little harder, just in case he felt sad. Her son was still her son and she loved him. Whitley did not deserve to be alone.

"Mother.. stop, I'm not eight anymore, I'm fourteen."

She was rubbing her hands in circles over his back, just like she'd done when he was young. She didn't care, doing it anyways no matter what her son might say about it. She wasn't going to let her little boy suffer from something bad.

"You'll _always_ be my little baby boy, Whitley."

It was a soft yearning in her that made her look at the young man that had endeared himself so much to her, as Whitley fidgeted in her grip. She would _not_ let her son go, even if he was being fussy. She wanted to keep her children safe and happy.

"Thank you for coming… and for helping Whitley, Jaune. It's… It's nice to see you."

He smiled that easy, casual smile, her heart skipping a beat as she watched him sit down, her body feeling a surge of irritation as most of the other girls, for she refused to call them women, only Winter, the fool, being above the age of twenty.

"Mother, I'm being squished."

She might've tightened her grip a little reflexively, Whitley looking a little beleaguered in her arms, her grip having made his body a little awkwardly twitched, but it was not a bad thing, she supposed.

"So, Jaune…"

Weiss said, Willow's eyes following the dialogue as she put Whitley next to her, scooting aside a little to let him sit next to her.

"Winter's pregnant!"

Her eldest flinched, Jaune looking at her and surprise appeared on his face. Willow could see the looming thunderstorm before it would hit, as irritation and frustration appeared on his face, that sterner look that she enjoyed so much appearing there in his eyes.

"I see. Congratulations."

The words were pinched and frustrated, as she could see that look in his eyes, accusing her of failing her daughter's education, accusing her of the worst of crimes, as her daughter shrank away, Weiss still smiling.

"Ruby's uncle probably doesn't want it… Mother said something about ensuring that it is… _taken care of_."

Weiss looked a little saddened for saying that aloud and Whitley merely looked at his older sister with eyes that held some sort of dark and moody nature, Jaune shifting a little as he seated himself, pulling his legs up in a thinking manner, looking at Winter with eyes that seemed to brood.

The girl had the audacity to puff herself up a little and proudly stick her chest out.

"I did not have sex with Qrow Branwen! I would rather make out with a subordinate than to ever submit myself to a man like _that_!"

Her daughter was definitely telling the truth, if she guessed the inflexions right. With Winter, indignation was better to gauge her mood than any words that came when she was in a less heated state.

' _So it's definitely not that guy…'_

"I haven't even had sex!"

Another lie, but that one sounded more genuine than the other lies that her daughter had spewed. She sighed softly to herself. Winter wouldn't just learn how to behave.

"Let's just enjoy ourselves, alright? Let's just unwind, relax… and whatever's stressing you out, let that lie."

Direct words, as Jaune shifted himself to that position, fixing her daughters and herself with a look that meant business, the face showing clearly that he was fed up with the topic. She smiled softly to herself at the warmth that pooled in her gut, her body rising.

"I'll be heading to the Sauna, dears… Feel _free_ to join me."

A good moment of heat and sweat would cool her tempers a little, before she said something to tarnish her daughters' memories. There was unease within them, but Willow Schnee did not show weakness before her man. Her daughters held affections for the man, so it would come to her to be the bigger woman.

"We'll join you, Mrs. Schnee! Weiss, go and chill with your sister for a bit, sweetheart. Jaune? Think you can keep them company?"

The blonde looked like she meant business, her eyes clear and direct. Her younger sister looked a little hesitant for a moment before she acquiesced, their Faunus teammate's ears twitching a little, as she sniffed the air and gave Jaune a weird look.

"I will remain here, mother. Someone has to ensure that Weiss and Winter's chastity remains intact… Or at least, somewhat intact."

Whitley said, a strange look on his face, a smile on his lips that didn't quite seem to be natural.

' _He took well to Jaune… But there may just be the whole 'saving his life' thing acting up.'_

As she entered the hot steam of the Sauna, she loosened her hair a little, letting it fall freely over her face, catching sight of the blonde entering behind her, as well as several of the teammates of team RWBY, her two eldest daughters remaining behind.

' _With Weiss there, Winter wouldn't dare to try anything.'_

She rested her back against the seat, feeling the hot air baste her body with that feeling of oppression.

"Mrs Schnee? It may be an odd question to ask, but…"

The blonde girl spoke first, and Willow's attention went to her, waiting for the question, trying to keep her smiling face up. It looked more like a grimace, really, but it was as smiling as she could make it.

"Did Winter perhaps… do things with Jaune?"

A soft sound rushed from her lips like a tire deflating as she felt the empathy drain out of her and her eyes turned cold. Looking at the blonde with a sterner look, she watched the expression on the girl's face change. She didn't even have to say anything, but the girls were perceptive to pick up on it.

"If we're talking about abducting him and sleeping with him with the intent of begetting a child with him, then _yes_ , Miss Xiao Long."

Her voice was cold and distant, she knew that, as the bitter look finally settled on her features, as she looked away, her expression showing clearly.

"Oh. That is not good. Not good at all."

The Faunus girl spoke, Willow's piercing eyes never quite leaving the girl, the Faunus ears flattening with her stare.

"No, I would think not. I am most displeased with her."

It was lighter than she really wanted to say, much lighter. She wanted to scream, to hiss abuse at the girl who had cut in line of her romance, apologizing to the man who had taken her heart and ran away with it.

"And… And you like him too, right?"

The silver-eyed girl said, her older (and more developed in the breast department) sister looking sharply at her sister, the Faunus girl's face turning complicated.

"I am a _married_ woman, Miss Rose. I simply cannot break the vows that I have sworn to my husband, and I will not. My children deserve a mother who is a _mother_ , rather than some adulteress who chases after her _feelings_."

It was the truth, and she spoke it delicately. The silver-eyed girl looked pityingly at her, as she nudged her chestier sister. Willow hoped that it would be like osmosis for Weiss, because Weiss' breasts still hadn't grown bigger.

"As _if_ she'd like him like that, Ruby. She's like… 43? She's married to Weiss' father, dickish as he is."

It was blustering talk, but there was hesitation in that voice, as the blonde looked uncertain for a moment. Willow's lips pressed together tightly.

 _'How rude!'_

"Do I _look_ 43?"

Willow couldn't resist a catty comment, the blonde looking her over for a moment, biting her lower lip and chewing on it for a moment as she thought.

"Well… _no_ , but…"

Willow was done with the pretence. These girls were _doubting_ her sex appeal! She still had her pride as a woman, even though her pride as a mother had been dragged through the mud and shot outside with a double-barreled shotgun filled with fire Dust.

"Allow me to show you what a _woman_ can do to your _vaunted_ Jaune. Let's have a little _competition._ "

She was not going to be dismissed simply because she was two decades older than these girls!

* * *

Whitley currently was enjoying the benefits of the hot Jacuzzi that they'd gone to, as Jaune sank into the spot next to him, Whitley's two older sisters seating together opposite of them. He felt worried for Winter, whose eyes never seemed to go from his face after he'd told them to get into the Jacuzzi. Weiss was hesitant, as she looked at him with despairing eyes.

"What are you even saying? Is it true? Winter?"

It was. He could hear Whitley mumble something about needing one of these, but the young lad was clearly just tuning out the conversation, though there were a few signs that he was doing so just to give his older sisters some space.

"I didn't sleep with any of you. Winter just strapped me to the bed and wanted me to have sex with her, but I said no. I'm _still_ not very happy with that, Winter. You have a _serious_ issue with boundaries."

The stubborn look on his face did not change much, as the woman gave a low groan. Weiss gave her sister a look that looked hurt, betrayed and a little tense. It shouldn't be like this, and he knew it. His hand grabbed a hold of Weiss', drawing her attention to him.

"Weiss, what your sister did is bad, but I can forgive her. She's just become a product of how she was raised, _badly_ , I might add."

Winter looked angry at him for saying that, but it was the truth. His eyes glinted with barely suppressed annoyance, as he knew that they would be free of the shadow of Jacques Schnee soon.

' _Just a little more time…'_

"I was _ready_ to give myself to you, you just _had_ to act stubborn! _Any_ man would be happy to have Winter Schnee in their bed, but you denied _me!"_

Weiss looked at her sister with eyes that seemed to blaze with fire. Jaune had a sudden sense of ominous doom, as Weiss placed her hand on her modest chest. He checked out Winter for a moment, just out of casual interest.

"He denied me too! He said that it wasn't proper for a beautiful girl to be offering herself to him, and now that I've managed to work up the nerve to just go and sleep with him, you do _this_ , Winter."

' _That doesn't sound like it is much different... and I'm sort of missing the whole 'consent' from that part.'_

The older sister drew herself up, puffing herself up and giving her sister a heated look. It was the damn pride of the Schnee family at work, he reckoned. Neither sister was willing to admit that perhaps they should take a closer look at their own flaws. Weiss' defiance and Winter's temper were contrasts.

"Well, if you'd just made things clear, I would've backed off! I can't help it that I like him and he is infuriating and attractive at the same time!'

He let go of Weiss' hand, and just leaned back, as the two sisters started a heated argument. He'd learned from his family that these things better were fought out like this, and he'd spring in when there was an issue.

"They don't even know about you and mother."

Whitley said, a hint of some amused interest in his voice, Weiss and Winter's arguments starting to pick up in the verbal speed. Jaune just watched, sighing and shaking his head.

"Talking seems to be a thing that's of the past. You know, Sienna always said that if you can't talk things out, it's best to beat them up and make them listen."

The two Schnee women turned their gazes at him. He paid attention to them now, as they gave him a serious look.

"Which one is better? Winter or me?"

He looked at the two of them and raised an eyebrow slowly. Weiss' bikini top and Winter's bikini top went off and he saw their breasts bounce, or rather, saw Winter's breasts bounce and saw Weiss' petite mounds give a little wiggle.

' _Honestly, I'd say your mother. I'm not going to lie.'_

Saying that aloud would undoubtedly make them hate their mother. He had seen it often enough in the house with his sisters that denying one of them made it bite you in the rear with the others taking offence.

"Cover up, sisters… I don't think I should see this petty squabbling over a man."

Whitley's confidence seemed to be rising, Jaune could see that, as his sisters looked at their youngest sibling with looks that weren't friendly. Feeling how Whitley's arms wrapped around him and the younger teen's body suddenly pressed close to him, he had the sudden feeling that, as far as inheriting traits from their mother went, Whitley himself showed some parts.

"Out of all the Schnee children, he likes _me_ best. Why would he go for a girl with no chest and a military woman with no tact, when he could have a bit of stimulating talk with someone groomed to become the best businessman in the world? Money talks, dear sisters…"

The look on Winter and Weiss' face turned stony, as both looked at their youngest brother's actions, Jaune getting the sudden feeling that he should say something to diffuse this situation.

"I do like you, Whitley, and it was fun going out on that date together, even if you said that you didn't like the games we played."

Winter and Weiss turned ashen-faced, as they looked at him with eyes that seemed to hold a mingling of something horrified and strange. He'd enjoyed himself! Whitley did too, no matter how much he'd claimed otherwise.

"Right, _daddy._ I'm your _favourite_ son."

The look of smug and devious teasing in Whitley's eyes was definitely telling him that he was just having a bit of fun with an ambiguous way of phrasing things, as he turned to look at the sisters.

"No, I won't allow it. You're _not_ going gay on us!/No, you're _not_ buggering my little brother! We'll straighten you out."

The synchronous statements of Weiss and Winter made both look at each other and the two then fixing him with a look that showed more harmony than they'd had before, as both young women, for Weiss could not be called anything but a young woman, moved words. Their tops were still off, so he watched as they pushed their younger brother out of the way.

"I'm pretty sure my girlfriend would not enjoy me going gay, Weiss…"

He wasn't into men. Sienna had teased him a few times with how Adam should repay him with his body for some reason, but it had just been that, teasing. Eve… was a different subject and one that he wouldn't delve into right now.

' _At least she's stopped sending me those pictures…'_

Sienna had _words_ with Eve, apparently. The last picture had been titled – **Girlfriend found out, I got tenderized. No more beef for your pork** – and it'd been a black-and-blue Eve who looked pathetically at the camera, a grinning Sienna, equally naked, on top of her giving him a look of 'Yeah, I'm here.' The follow-up picture that'd been sent had been very… _interesting._ There was a certain aesthetic to the contrast of darker skin and pale white skin.

He most certainly had not taken the time to appreciate it in private a few times, nope. He was a young man who most assuredly did not do such lewd things, even if the close-up shot of two women in a state of total undress and their yearning- Nope. He was chaste. He was pure. Eve being dominated by Sienna was just an idle fancy in his mind, especially with the tagline 'Tenderizing beef' that had been added.

Faunus were a bit weird like that, but he didn't mind their honesty. Sienna was as pure in her intentions as she could get, even if she let her emotions get the best of her sometimes. He just had to get her back in line and tell her what he wanted.

' _I should tell Willow…'_

He felt good about that thought for a moment before he focused back on reality, as two pairs of hands were making their way in his pants, and he looked at both daughters of the woman who just traced over his mind's thoughts, both looking at him with a look that was most definitely 'Schnee-sexy'.

"Hey! Stop that!"

Weiss' hands left his manly tackle, but Winter's stayed, her cheeks flushing red, a hand grabbing Winter's head and dunking her under the water. The hands squeezed his manhood, making him feel a hint of pain.

"It would be a bit _uncouth_ to start an orgy here, Weiss. I doubt the proprietors of this place would enjoy watching it or cleaning up the _mess_."

Willow Schnee had somehow managed to get into the Jacuzzi with them, the four Schnee's and him fitting in very tightly, as Willow placed herself into his lap after a moment, Winter surfacing after a moment, and thankfully the hand disappeared from his groin, her mother's rear having sat down on it. It was a nice rear, a nice rear that was definitely giving him trouble if Willow moved just a bit back and forth.

"Mother, this is-"

He couldn't see Willow's face, but Winter's voice had stopped. There was something in Willow's body language, as she shifted a little

"No. _Mister_ Arc is getting out of this Jacuzzi. Now. There's no 'Mother' about this. I _won't_ hear of it, Winter. If you had _wanted_ to get this man as your partner, you could have _asked_ him politely and requested an encounter, should he feel the fancy. The moment when etiquette and manners went out of the window, you blew your chance."

Willow turned her body, and he felt one of her full breasts bump against his chest, her eyes meeting his own as she seemed to gaze at him with a look that held flame and frost in those eyes, a contrast to Sienna's burning passion, as her fingers traced over his chest for a light touch, a smile on her lips that was meant just for him.

She pulled herself out, her fine derriere moving, as he followed after her, the water droplets dripping off the woman's body. He was unashamedly checking her out, he knew, the woman turning around a little and a faint smile ghosted on her lips, seizing her hand.

"Mister Arc, some time in the sauna might do you good… It is unpleasant to worry about the burdens of my daughters…"

A smooth, cool look at the two of them, Winter's top floating away still. Both daughters looked embarrassed, and he could imagine why. It was intense, and it was…

"I'll join you, mother. Daddy needs his best child to be with him."

He caught sight of Willow's lips twisting into an angry sneer, her thoughts obviously on her husband. As Winter fixed her attire and Weiss corrected her own, conversation sprang up between the two of them, Willow tugging him closer to her in a possessive manner that wouldn't look too out of place on Sienna, Whitley joining them, warm air gusting out. With just having emerged out of the Jacuzzi, his shorts were sticking to his skin, his eyes watching team RWBY sans Weiss sit there, looking a little hesitant at him, as if he'd been the final frontier.

"Let the games begin, girls."

That did not sound very great for his chances, as Yang swallowed heavily and got up from her seat. She wobbled a little with her steps, taking his hands and guiding him to a free space.

 _"Sit._ Alright… _So…"_

The door shut behind Whitley, who sat next to Ruby. They didn't look much different in age, save for the fact that they were both looking a little awkward. Willow sat herself down next to Blake, who looked uncomfortable.

"We've had a _chat_ with Willow. And… And I think it's time to be honest, I mean- I think you're _great_."

That was fair to him. He knew that she thought the world of him, and he thought warmly of her as well, knowing that it was hard for her at times to be the extraverted and social big sister. He could see that Ruby looked hopefully, as Yang looked at him with a hint in her eyes that she wanted to say more.

"I know you're great, always trying to protect people. When you killed Fall, you were doing it to protect all of us, right?"

She looked at him and smirked, the teasing smirk of the girl whose warmth and concern eclipsed the bold front that she put on. Yang was pure, as her eyes shone with that honest light of appreciation and care.

"I love you, you silly man. And, well, I've been talking with Blake. That girlfriend of yours isn't as closed-minded as she appears. Kitty-Khan did a lot of weird stuff in her past, apparently… So, here I am."

' _Is she seriously asking me out as a girlfriend whilst saying that I'm already with someone?'_

He saw Willow look smug, as she watched Yang, who shifted a little. She wasn't looking too nervous yet, but Yang definitely seemed to be uneasy around the hawkish gaze of the woman.

"Well… Any response? A 'Yang you're so amazing, I'll take you into the harem'?"

He wasn't sure. Maybe in a year or so, but right now? He'd have to seriously start training and hope that he'd make it through the year.

' _Since when did I become open to polygamy?'_

That was kind of the antithesis to marriage. It was something that made people not stick with their original partner. His expression darkened a little, as he didn't respond.

"Well… Let me know after the others are done. Two more shots, I reckon…"

Yang sat down, looking at him with a pouty look on her face, her skin flushed and red, no doubt from the combined embarrassment and the whole sensation of something more. He caught Ruby and Whitley talking about something, Ruby making gestures and hearing something about 'Dust-round munitions' with Whitley providing some counterpoints.

"Jaune?"

Blake got up, standing before him, her smile catty.

"I want your babies. Impregnate me."

The soft 'bluh' that came from his mouth was enough of an answer as Blake lifted her top and did a little wiggle. There wasn't much to move, but it was an effort. It was more half-hearted in the way that Blake didn't really look like she was very serious, just filling in the blanks a little for the competition.

"I'm honoured that you'd consider me for that, but no, I don't think I will. Sienna would probably drown you, if your mother doesn't get you first."

Blake pouted before she shrugged, sitting down again, sans top. He didn't quite get why Sienna had said that if Blake wanted to do something like that, Kali would drown her, but it must be some Faunus thing. Eve had said that Blake should 'remember her place', which was not elaborated upon further either, only a look given at him as if he were stupid.

' _I sometimes wonder if there is a Faunus 101 course that you could take…'_

Sienna had been needier these past few weeks, Eve just acting like she was about to go and commit a public obscenity with him, touching and caressing him. Both smelled him, too! They just sniffed him and then nodded their head, Sienna mumbling something about not wanting any interlopers.

' _The sniffing is something that I can do without… She was just sniffing me for a minute and looking at me like she wanted to grill me and eat me.'_

"So, eh… Now it's your turn."

He looked at Willow for a moment, the woman's hand pushing her hair behind her ears, the locks kept restrained there with the moisture in the air as she got up slowly. His eyes watched. She got his full attention as she rolled her shoulders a little.

"Mister _Arc_ …"

She spoke his surname with a little hint of delicate passion in her voice, her body moving. Contrary to Yang's heat and warmth, Willow was like an ice sculpture, delicate and frail-looking, as she moved. The bikini bottom and top looked like they'd manage to contain her, as she laid her hands on his shoulders, holding on to him, her eyes looking into his own.

"I _cherish_ you, my _dear."_

A finger pushed against his skin, as Yang said something about 'Hey, there wasn't supposed to be any touching!' but Willow ignored that, as her fingers left his shoulders and she straightened out, her skin glistening in the light from the lamps, the heated steamy air washing over her. She was _hot_ , in more ways than one, as she slid to her knees, the sauna barely allowing her to, her fingers and palms touching his knees and then pulling herself up.

"And for _all_ that you've _given_ to me, I will enter this battle."

It was a strange sensation, as he looked at her face there between his legs, blue eyes pleading at him, begging and whispering of sweet things that only could be done between a couple. Her tongue slid over her lips as she brought her face closer to his own, her voice like a soft sultry whisper. The girls started to shift nervously, as his attention laid on Willow.

"because if my daughters cannot find agreement with the man who will be their stepfather, I will have to simply make sure that there will be _no_ contest left to be had, _Jaune Arc._ "

He forgot to answer, her fingers making their way down to his inner thighs, sliding from them. He froze up, as her hands teased over the skin, fingernails that'd been lacquered before, making a soft teasing tone, as she smirked and then leaned down, giving a light touch.

' _Glah. Ah.'_

Fingers clawed against his inner thighs as she rose up, mounds pressing against something that had suddenly gotten very hard and upright.

"Because whenever Willow Schnee enters a fight… There'll be _none_ who will be left _standing."_

A sultry, heavy purr, almost like Sienna when she got really into certain things, oozing with that sensuality from her lips, her eyes looking into his own with that twinkle in them, as her breasts gave a little shake. Sienna did not have the cup size that Willow did.

Her eyes went down and the smug little grin came to her lips, as her upper body did a slow rise and fall.

 _'Oh.'_

" _Among_ other things that are standing, though…"

Her body rose, her hands grabbing a hold of his sudden hard pressing issue and a slow moving motion up and down was given, as the woman's grip tightened and then loosened. If Sienna was fire and passion, Willow was frozen seduction.

"And _that,_ girls…"

She got up and moved back to her seat, leaving him to feel embarrassed and straighten himself out in his swimming shorts at the thought that they could all see his hard problem. He wasn't particularly modest, but it was just a little embarrassing after all that teasing that she'd done.

"is how you make a man _crave_ you."

He shivered a little, despite the warmth, Willow's smug smirk enough to reinforce the fact. Yang sighed, as Blake pulled her top back on, Yang's smile almost sardonic as she spoke up.

"I accept defeat in this round. We'll keep silent about this, alright? Weiss doesn't need more stress on her plate, what with your husband just marrying her off to some old dude… You're a lucky guy, Jaune."

He supposed he was. He looked at Whitley and Ruby, the latter currently going through the emotive process of something about a 'barrel adjustment' at which Whitley just seemed to be smiling smugly.

' _Thank the gods that they weren't watching...'_

Whitley's little thumbs-up dashed that hope, as he groaned. Team Schnee seemed to be on his side.

' _Well, that's something at least.'_

The door opened and Weiss and Winter entered together. Winter's face was frosty, whilst Weiss' was red.

"We're sharing you!/We have come to an accord and we will share."

He groaned again, knowing that this was going to be another misunderstanding. He'd been having lots of those when it came to the Schnee family, it seemed. Sienna was blunt like a battering ram most of the time, but you didn't have to tread on eggshells and avoiding the dangers she had.

"Alright, then I guess you'll share the experience of watching me leave."

He got up, Weiss and Winter grabbing a hold of his sides. Winter's chest was pressing against him, as Weiss' hand didn't stop holding on to him.

"I'd… I-I'd really like it if you stayed, Jaune. I-I think I love you."

' _Didn't we just do this?'_

Yang looked pained, as Willow's head shook lightly.

"Yes, _stay._ Weiss and I have discussed it and we think there is a good option for marriage with me. Two sisters for the price of one."

' _There went the businessman argument. Jacques, I guess she's got that from you…'_

The man's influence was too visible in his children and spouse when things got stressed.

"I don't want to marry anyone just yet. I'm seventeen, I'm not ready for a baby yet, and I most certainly am not going to cheat on my girlfriend, who, I might add, is _still_ older than you and maybe wiser. Sienna Khan is _not_ someone you would like to dismiss, because she will fuck you in ways that aren't pleasant."

The toys that she'd gotten a hold of were interesting, though he wasn't going to get that massager anywhere near there again. It'd been… _interesting_. She'd liked it, though. He was definitely going to throw it away or hide it.

"Winter did not rape you, Mister Arc?"

Willow was formal again, speaking with that practised tone, as if inquiring with him for verification. Winter looked like she was going to be blowing up some more with a heated argument, but he shook his head.

"Most certainly _not_. Winter is a lot of things, including a little brat who doesn't know the concept of consent, but she is not someone who would do that, or at least, I do not believe her to be a woman who is capable of doing something so vile and disgusting."

His eyes met Winter's, who looked vindicated, Willow's warning tone showing in her voice as she spoke up.

"Then I do believe that that is _clear,_ Mister Arc. Winter, apologize for your actions."

The eldest daughter looked pained, as if she was going to do something she disliked, but she swallowed that fury in a moment, taking a deep breath.

"I apologize, Mister Arc. I should have perhaps followed the wisdom of myself, rather than trusting the guidance of Sienna Khan."

That was good. An apology was good enough for him, a smile given to her. Winter's pale cheeks turned red as he nodded.

"Apology accepted, Winter. Stress makes us do things we do not really wish to do." He extended his hand and she shook it, lightly.

"I may have been… _hasty_ , Winter. I'm sorry, daughter."

' _Apologies are good, and at least, things are now on the road to recovery.'_

Weiss cleared her throat, looking at him and then at Winter.

"I'd like to have sex with you. Please?"

Winter and Willow fixed their youngest sibling and daughter with a look, Willow's expression turning a touch stonier, fingers touching the sides of the sauna. It was getting hot in here, he knew. Perhaps he should've drank more in the morning.

"I'm afraid that isn't an option, but…"

He hesitated, wondering whether to tell them about the plan. He had talked with Whitley about a part of it, mostly just to get the man into place, the Schnee Dust Company's CEO having spoken briefly with him over the phone. It had been arranged.

"let's just enjoy the day, alright? Who knows what tomorrow will bring?"

* * *

Jaune stepped off the bullhead that'd brought him to Vale from Beacon, landing on the spot where it was already there, the rain coming down slowly. Three of the bodyguards were visible, as Jacques Schnee had a smile on his face.

The orange umbrella that he held up was enough against the drizzling rain, his eyes looking at the heavens for a moment, a flash of lightning in the distance, forked and there, as he made the smile creep onto his face.

"Mister Schnee, it's so good to see you. I'm sorry I couldn't get to Whitley earlier."

The man's posture was relaxed, from how he was standing there in the drizzle. Jaune knew that he was going to go according to plan, everything had been prepared. It was a risk, yes, but it was one that he would take.

' _This is all for the good of your family, Jacques Schnee…'_

"Mister Arc, thank you for your swift rescue of my son. It was perhaps good fortune that he knew how to arrange for a huntsman of your calibre to come to his aid."

The man didn't fully trust him, despite the paternal act. There was always mistrust and worry for the finances in Jacques Schnee's line of thought, though the man hid it well under the false face that he wore for the charming of people.

' _You'll never hit my Willow again after today, Jacques Schnee.'_

The wind picked up a little, the rain coming down a little heavier and his jeans were getting wetter. He had picked the humblest outfit that he had in his closet, especially to give that impression to the man, to disarm that suspicion until he could get into range of the man.

"It would be bad of me if I let someone hurt Whitley. He's like a little brother to me. I never really had a little brother, I've only had older sisters, so…"

He shifted the umbrella a little in his hands, looking as innocently honest as he could, the bodyguards keeping their gazes trained for danger as per usual operating procedure, giving them a bit of space, Willow's husband wrapping an arm around him as he was fond of doing whilst walking, the umbrella raised a little higher to shield the man from the rain as well.

' _Sometimes, you have to do distasteful things to make the world a better place.'_

A smile on his lips, as the man started to talk. "I've heard of the financial troubles, Jaune. If there's anything that I can do to assist... I have heard of your mother's signing of a loan for three thousand and-"

The man's veneer of amicability was like a lie, as he only saw money, the bullhead pulling away and leaving them to wander away. He flared his aura a little and closed his eyes and took a deep breath, taking another step and squeezing the button on his Scroll, which'd been put in his pocket.

 _'Rest in hell, Jacques.'_

The skies lit up as a massive lightning bolt struck the tip of his umbrella, bathing the spot where he was standing in a flash of blinding light, the lightning-Dust-metal infused umbrella having served as the perfect lightning rod. Three more strikes of lightning flowed from the heavens as the Fall Maiden's power honed in on the one who bore a similar signature in their Aura, the power of nature and magic channelled into the lightning strikes.

The skies roiled with thunder and lightning afterwards, as the bodyguards shot into action, the bodies of two people in the centre of the lightning strikes as the bodyguards checked for the signs of life, medically trained personnel starting to come to render aid. Jacques Schnee was definitely a goner, as thousands upon thousands of magically enhanced lightning had shot through his system, not having had the Aura strength to keep himself safe, someone calling for an ambulance to deliver the other unfortunate victim of a lightning strike to the hospital.

* * *

 **And so, the thunderous demise of Jacques Schnee. 'Natural Causes'.**

 **Jaune's sacrificing nature plays up again. It'd either be freedom or death, and well... The title was chosen for... well, it's a very great piece of music, and I try to find the right title for the chapter. Jacques Schnee got some heavenly justice.**

 **The Jacques Schnee Revenge Arc is over!**

 **The next Arc is the last one!**

 **Until next time, ladies and gentlemen! Leave a review at the review box, and know that Jacques Schnee is deader than dead.**


	45. Inside Turn

**Chapter 45: Inside Turn**

 **Jacques Schnee died of natural causes.**

* * *

The first thing that Jaune Arc realized when he came back to consciousness was that there was something beeping, and the second was that he couldn't move his body. With how his body laid on what seemed to be a hospital bed, he could only feel the pillow rest against the back of his head, a soft pillow, but still, it wasn't the hard asphalt of the air docks.

' _Damn, I didn't know it'd hurt like that.'_

"Jaune? Are you awake?"

His eyes turned to the side, his mother sat at his bedside, the woman giving a relieved smile, even as he flashed a smile at her. He tried to, at least, his smile coming out crooked and twisted.

' _Well, I guess I'm not going to be in heaven for a while yet.'_

"He-llo."

His throat sounded scratchy and pained as he looked at his mother, whose smile seemed to be relieved, his eyes going through the room, blinking a few times. He couldn't really move his head much, but he spotted a good six chairs around the room, his mother looking more relieved than before.

"I was _so_ worried, Jaune. They said that you were lucky to be alive."

His mother worried a little too much, knowing that dad had been dead for a few years. It wasn't going to be a good thing if one of his sisters passed away, because mom would be in a messy state if that was the case.

' _Well, that means that I'm sort of okay. Jacques Schnee probably isn't.'_

"Is- eve-ree wan oh-kay?"

He asked, his voice questioning her and the warm smile on his mother's face blooming with the joy of the question. The woman shifted a little, her face changing a little as he tried to shift a bit, not able to do so at all. He turned his head a little, the pain and irritation that that caused making him realize that it wasn't a good idea to do so.

' _This is frustrating...'_

"Yes, yes, everyone's okay. You were struck by lightning, do you know what happened?"

He tried to nod, but couldn't make the motion with his head. His eyes looked down, a splash of fear rippling his emotions, as he wondered why he couldn't move, why his head wasn't capable of doing so fully. At most a few millimetres, but down seemed to be impossible.

"No. Why- I c'nt move."

His mother's hand grabbed his own and he felt the warmth, but couldn't move the hand, a freezing cold feeling going through his hand, the maternal smile on her face never quite fading.

"It's… It's going to be okay, sweetie. We'll get you home and- and we'll figure something out. Your sisters are here, except for Saphron and Terra, and- and we'll be trying to make sure that you can walk again, alright? Vivian will be back from her mission in a few days, she couldn't delay, and Camellia is… Well, she's who she is, after all. Everything's going to be okay, Jaune."

' _What?!'_

He tried to look down, and his mother's hand stroked over his arm, the sensation perfect, but his body wouldn't move properly, he couldn't lift his arms. He felt a stab of pain inside his muscles, as if everything had been put on some sort of booby-trap that gave you jolts of electricity through your whole body.

"What?"

His mother smiled, patting his hand and getting up. He knew that smile. It was the smile that meant that everything was alright, that everything would be alright. She'd smiled like that when dad had died, when he'd had to step up and help out more.

"I'll get the doctor. There's… There's someone who paid for your medical bills, I'm- I'm not sure, but that lovely Pyrrha girl has been at your bedside day and night. It's been around a week, thereabouts."

' _What?!'_

He'd missed out on a lot, it seemed. He couldn't quite move though, so that wasn't great. He tried to lift his head to look down at his body but found that it wasn't really a possibility.

His mother left and he could hear the door opening quietly and people getting in, Nora's concerned face appearing in his vision, her breasts visible as well from how she was leaning. It was really awkward, because he couldn't quite change his way of looking.

"Jaune? Hello? Nora to Jaune, how are you feeling?"

Pyrrha and Ren appeared, and he slowly moved his head to the side. That seemed to be possible, thankfully, a groan coming from his lips.

"Pain."

He hurt a lot, and Pyrrha looked guilty, the look on her face showing clearly the feelings she felt.

"You got hit by lightning four times. Mister- Mister Schnee didn't make it."

' _Good.'_

Nora's eyes looked worried. He tried to lift his hand to touch her, but he still couldn't lift them. He felt frustration go through him, his face showing the frustration that he felt.

"You're- Jaune, just rest up, okay? Things are going to be fine, your girlfriend is currently giving it her all to make sure that things are going to be better."

Pyrrha spoke up, her worry-laden voice enough to make him feel a shiver of something. He smiled, knowing that it'd be fine now. He'd done what he had to, all for the women he loved. Jacques Schnee would not haunt the world again like a spectre of financial destruction.

"It's been one hell of a week, but- Here, let me show you."

A Scroll was held up and he could see Lisa Lavender on the screen with Sienna Khan, the latter looking very happy.

' _I wonder what that's all about.'_

* * *

Sienna was excited, knowing that Jacques Schnee had been struck by a vengeance from the heavens, the public appearance scheduled for her to deal with the sudden death of the man, there being some reports of being struck by lightning and another person being hurt in the event. It was deserved, of course. The man needed to be struck down just because he was a bitch that hurt his woman.

' _Nobody's going to cry about it.'_

She sat at the table, groomed and perfect as it was intended, her eyes looking at the camera whilst the purple woman sat next to her, her expression a little tense and undoubtedly nervous. The public appearance wasn't something really scheduled of course, but it was good PR. Sienna Khan, the forefront fighter for Faunus rights, appearing on the Kingdom's news.

"Alright, we're live in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and… Go."

The purple woman smiled at the camera, a smile that was as fake as the breasts that she had, her eyes not smiling in the least.

"Good morning Vale and all the viewers from the other kingdoms. This is VNN's Lisa Lavender with a special news bulletin. Joining me here at the table is Sienna Khan, the High Leader of the White Fang. Today, the death of Jacques Schnee, CEO of the Schnee Dust Company, has rattled our humble Kingdom. Miss Khan, you were one of the main opponents to Mister Schnee's labour reform plans, what is your opinion on-"

She checked the teleprompter, some parts of her speech having been worked on by the PR team in the past twenty minutes, her Faunus ears twitching a little as she read the speech and gave her most understanding look.

"Many people would think that I, as the leader of the White Fang, would be against the man due to our differences in station in life, and hereby I convey my congratulations to Willow Schnee for the loss of her husband."

' _Someone put condolences, but who needs condolences when the guy's an asshole, huh? I should fire those guys, they're trying to make it seem like I give a damn and purple pussy looks at me like I'm some kind of lunatic!'_

"Congratulations, High Leader Khan? It's the death of someone who used to mean much for the world. Surely you mean condolences"

Sienna wasn't having it, turning to the camera and pointing at it. Lavender could be talking a whole lot of crap, but she wasn't going to hide the damn truth from the world! She was Sienna Khan and she always spoke the truth! Okay, maybe not always, but she tried!

"Maybe, but the guy was a jackass. Okay, okay, condolences, congratulations, they both start with con and end with an s. If a duck quacks like a duck and tastes like a duck, it is not a pig."

She was probably misquoting that proverb or whatever it was, but she didn't really care overly much. Jacques Schnee had died and today was a great day as far as it was concerned.

"To revel in the death of a father of three and a devoted husband to his wife is beyond the pale, Miss Khan. Do you hold no taste for-"

Her hand smacked down onto the table, the cup of coffee spilling. It was too damn early for these mind games and she was trying to keep herself under control.

"The guy _beat_ his wife, _lady_. Sorry kiddo Schnees, but your dad was a _dick_. My condolences for nothin', and I hope your mother recovers well from the unfortunate demise of her husband, but as far as I'm concerned, he got what he _deserved."_

She puffed herself up, looking at the camera, as Lisa Lavender tried her best to regain control. Sienna's lips firmly pressed together, seemingly trying to find a way to steer the conversation into the proper channels again.

"Well, everyone is entitled to their own opinions… Will you be attending the funeral, Miss Khan?"

' _Do I look like I want to put a stake in his heart to make sure he's dead?'_

Sienna's expression was a little pinched as she growled at the woman. She had to make sure that she showed strength, not backing down from the challenge put before her.

"If I've got to. I've got different things to worry about than to attend a meeting with hundreds of people saying it's sad that some dickbag died thanks to the heavens granting the wishes of people. Hell, wasn't there some guy who was struck by lightning with him or something?"

' _That guy deserves a card as thanks for being around to make sure that the asshole rests in the grave… And maybe some flowers.'_

"Yes, he's currently undergoing medical treatment, and-"

Sienna got up, running a hand through her hair. There were more important things to be done than to sit in a chair next to Hussy McFakeNews and getting herself done up properly. She had plans for tonight! Party, Jaune, getting laid.

"Good, good. We'll see whether we can scrape together some money for flowers or something. Or a stake through the heart for Jacques Schnee, if it isn't charred."

She stomped off the stage, as Lisa Lavender started on something, Sienna's fingers tugging her jacket straight.

"I need to get a bottle of liquor, get the week off or something and declare it an international holiday week or something for every damn branch and get laid again. Damn, do I need to unwind, Lavender always-"

She noticed that several of the people were looking at her, and Lisa Lavender shouted at her from the desk she sat behind.

"Khan, you're still wearing your microphone!"

' _Well, fuck you too.'_

"Yeah, _and_? I am twenty-nine! I have sex, you're not my mother or anything! Bugger off, Sienna Khan has a _life_ , rather than waking up in the morning to talk about which rich guy shat in whose mouth during their secret conspiracy moments!"

She tore the microphone off and then threw it at someone, her irate snarl enough as she got her Scroll out and started to make calls, one of her personal flunkies getting to make the apologies for her to the staff. This would hurt her public standing a little, but to her people, it would show strength.

"Arc a speedy recovery-"

Sienna's head turned as she saw the projection of her guy on the screen next to Lavender's head, the woman as professional as most evil bitches of the media were, starting to make moderating tones.

"Hol' up, what was that about Arc?"

She stomped back into the camera's view, lifting up Lavender by her top. She peered into the woman's eyes, who was struggling to keep her loose blouse from ripping. Too bad, it was badly made stuff anyways, undoubtedly made with the help of under-paid Faunus labourers.

"Hey! You can't do this!"

The shirt started to tear, looking at the woman and giving her an angry look that brooked no disobedience. Someone was shouting at her to stop, and she gave a fierce look at the camera people.

' _Don't you dare interrupt when Sienna Khan is speaking, bitches.'_

" _What_ was that about the Hero of Vale, Lisa Looselips?"

The woman struggled, and Sienna heard someone shout – 'He was hit by the lightning strike as well!' and she just ignored Lavender, the woman nearly falling off her chair as Sienna moved, holding her by the shirt. Turning to the camera and giving a look directly at the people watching, she firmed her features in that look that had most of her lower-level management running for cover.

"Well, get well _soon_ , Arc. I'll be _watching_. You're getting that bouquet from me personally, because I'd hate to have someone be hurt because of Jacques Schnee."

The top ripped and Lisa Lavender squeaked, but Sienna Khan didn't really give a damn, walking off as the woman fought to keep the sight of her deep purple bra from showing, already someone running with something of a jacket to cover her up.

' _Fuck me, that'll have to mean that I'm clearing the schedule.'_

This wasn't going to be such a great day for her after all…

' _Damn it, I'll fuck you into a coma for that, Jaune! You just made the pussies wet of every Faunus in Vale.'_

She'd have to arrange for bodyguards. Preferably guys, because there'd be a lot more contenders on the dance floor now…

And Sienna Khan did _not_ play second fiddle to anyone. Her finger found the number saved in her Scroll, dialling it in a press of the button.

" _Bitch_ , do something useful and guard Arc's body with your life. There'll be people wanting to make an _intimate_ acquaintance with him for being near the devil when he died, so better get your sleazy butt over there to make sure that he's kept in good condition before we get Sylvester and Tweety on the guard detail."

Sometimes, it helped to _know_ certain people. Whether some people wore the green hat or not wasn't really an objection, but it'd be wrong of her to let someone else sneak a march on her.

Sienna Khan was a top bitch for her man, and even if Willow was introduced to the joys of getting her man, there'd _still_ be time for some extra lovemaking!

' _At least he'll be safe.'_

She should really invest in getting something nice for the time he was up and moving again.

' _Maybe we'll get that threesome going again.'_

It hadn't been exactly a _bad_ experience. Perhaps she was softening a little to the girl.

' _She can watch.'_

* * *

His eyes slid to Nora, who showed the clip of Sienna Khan manhandling Lisa Lavender on the television, the woman saying something about bringing him a bouquet. He raised his eyebrow, as Nora grinned.

"See, Pyrrha was here first and she kept people away. There were a few nurses trying to sneak in and do things to you, y'see. She kept guard for four days until I switched, and she's eh…"

Pyrrha smiled at him with that smile that was so loving, pure and wholesome that the whole trouble of a few weeks before seemed to have faded away. It'd not really been intended, but if she was happy…

' _As long as they are all happy…'_

"For you, I'll keep you safe. Your mother finds me to be _endearing_."

Pyrrha would be modest in her commentary, as she shifted a little, her hands awkwardly on her lap, her eyes looking at his own, her fingers brushing over his hand after a moment. She looked at him with a look that was more trusting than anything, a contrast to how they'd been before, when he'd denied her.

' _Much has changed…'_

He'd saved Willow from a fate that was worse than her life, knowing that her husband did not care for her as he should. Willow deserved a life of joy and happiness, rather than the life of pain and despair that he'd felt.

"I'm H-ppy."

Talking hurt, as his hand quivered a little. Moving hurt, and Pyrrha's fingers moved, her eyes looking into his own with a trusting look, knowing that he'd be there just as she was there for him.

"Good. Just rest up a little, okay? We'll be here to make sure that you're okay. Sienna came by with flowers a few days ago, visiting late at night. Your mother is worried, but it'll be okay. You're lucky to be alive."

' _I know that.'_

He was lucky to be alive, feeling relieved that he'd taken out one of the dark shadows that covered the world. He was sure that he would've been able to kill the man in the regular fashion, but getting away with it would have proven nigh-impossible. You didn't kill the head of a global corporation and got away with it scot-free.

"Helloooo there, handsome! Oh, he's awake! He's awake, Weiss, aren't you happy?"

Yang and Ruby entered, the former having been enthusiastic in her greeting of him. Weiss looked a little bit happier now that he saw her again, remembering about the way that she'd acted at the spa and how it'd been. Her mother must undoubtedly be busy. Ruby sat down next to Nora and Pyrrha, Weiss seating herself at the other end of the bed, Yang remaining standing, as he saw Blake sit down, her eyes looking at him with an indecipherable look.

"I- I'm glad that you are awake again, Jaune. I had feared- I'd feared that you'd have died. When you weren't waking up after a day, the doctors… They said it might be nervous system shutdown, and- And I have requested mother to fly in specialists from Atlas. With you awake, they will not be necessary, but- But if you need it, they'll be there."

He gave a smile, feeling a sharp stab of pain go through him. She was such a beautiful girl, a wonderful girl that seemed to hold the keys to the world in her grip.

"Ar- you mar'red?"

His voice was still scratchy and soft, and he repeated himself. Weiss looked at him and smiled shyly. The look in her eyes made him be remembered of Winter, of when that young woman had just assaulted him. There was something in those eyes that wanted and craved, and he was weak.

"Mother _took_ _care_ of it."

Her smile was pretty, as if it was a happy memory.

* * *

Willow looked at the man seated in front of her, the formal business suit that she'd donned for today as the new CEO of the Schnee Dust Company fitting her well, her eyes looking over the man.

"And _why_ , Mister Wolfgarde, should I honour a promise made by my late husband? Simply put… What's in it for me?"

It was hard negotiation, and it was needed. With Jaune in the hospital, she had to be _strong_. She should lead the company as her father would have wanted her to lead it, rather than to be the cutthroat woman that everyone would expect her to be.

She wanted to be there with him, to be a part of the women that waited for him to wake up, to see his eyes look at her and feel her heart leap in her chest, to see him happily looking at her.

"She would be my wife, of course. What more could a woman of decent standard wish for? She has not been in the best condition, but she will still be able to birth me an heir."

A raised eyebrow, as she looked at the man, her lips pressed tightly together. She straightened herself out, as she stamped the formal annulment with the Family Crest stamp on the line for her part, before sliding it over to the man.

"Sign on the dotted line, Mister Wolfgarde. This sham of an engagement is ended now with the death of my husband."

Her voice was chilly, as she looked at her daughter, silent and looking emotional. She was not a woman who would let something happen to her daughter, the man pulling the official documents to him, looking them over.

"But- Why? Why would you wish to forgo the offer from the Wolfgarde family? We can have SDC products sent to every corner of the globe for a much cheaper tariff-"

' _Because my daughter wants to be free.'_

Her fingers, covered in a set of white gloves that had been selected specifically for the purpose of impressing, the formal military style allowing for a more direct image, tapped onto the desk.

"Sign, Mister Wolfgarde, and we can be out of _your_ business in a flash."

She was not going to let her daughter be ruined by an old man, Weiss deserved much better! Of course, the fact that Weiss and Winter had both gotten the rather insane idea of trying to go for the blonde man that Willow herself enjoyed the fancy of marriage with was _regrettable_ , but she would _win_.

"And what if I don't? The engagement papers have already been signed, and legally, I am allowed to take liberties with my spouse to b-"

She narrowed her eyes, Glyphs springing into existence around her, looking at the man that sat there in front of her desk. Rising from her desk with her fingers supporting her, her body leaning over the desk as her blue eyes looked into his own, her heart steeling herself.

' _For my daughters…'_

"It may be in your best interest to sign, Mister Wolfgarde… It would be a _favour_ to me. Your name on the dotted line, and it'll all be dismissed. You'll be free to be with your _concubine_ , and we'll all forget about _this_ little business… Including the three daughters that you've been raising."

Blackmail was such a _horrid_ word for things like these, but it was all because of Jacques' need for organization that it had all come out. Such a poor, poor sight…

' _Not worthy to be an inheritor…'_

She loathed men who merely saw women as possessions. Sienna was different, she burned with a flame that definitely never went out, her eyes sparking the blaze. Wolfgarde sweated, as he did often, looking at the papers and she pulled out the folder.

Pictures of a pale-haired young girl, maybe six or seven, prepared by her husband in order to force the issue if the marriage did not give suitable incentives, if it was required. She wasn't a _cruel_ woman, but she had little pity for the man who had offered to take Weiss as his woman.

"It would be utterly _awful_ for my daughter to become a mere second to the one you have _clearly_ decided to produce an heir with…"

' _Sometimes… One should make sure that there is no refusal. If it were to come out that he had illegitimate children, well…'_

There was some scandal to be had. Marrying a younger woman and keeping one's bastard offspring around was not quite done within Atlesian circles.

"I can… I can see your point, Miss Schnee. With the untimely death of your husband, I… I think it might be best to forget about this whole marriage thing."

The man turned to look at Weiss, who looked uncomfortable at best, the man's handkerchief wiping at his face. Clearly, there was something to be said about personal hygiene, but she wasn't too picky. She watched the pen dart over the annulment contract, before putting it into the special folder that was to be sent off to the registrar.

She smiled, straightening, the looming that she'd done now evaporating, a pleasant face on once again.

"I think this concludes our business, Mister Wolfgarde. Rest assured that we will be using your company for our shipping, as a sign of a… _pleasant_ form of relations. Give my regards to Cana, Danica and Ionne, I hope you will have a wonderful time being their father."

She looked at the man droop off, the pictures swept into the folder once more as she seated herself. A finger pulled down on her Scroll and the screen unlocked once more, her eyes scanning the messages that she'd accrued over the past few days.

Sienna's mentioning of 'Jaune's pet little fighter' keeping watch over him and a faint hint of something in the future of a few days before the unfortunate happening with her husband…

"Mother?"

Her daughter required her attention, as she slid the Scroll closed once more, the picture of her and her three children as the display picture, the spot where their father should be absent… yet.

' _You deserve a father who cares for you, Weiss.'_

"Yes, Weiss?"

She addressed her daughter, giving a softer voicing of her daughter's name in order to please the girl, not pausing her work, as her eyes scanned the files on the to-do list, trying to make the best option.

"Can I visit Jaune again? He's still unconscious, and- and I'd like to see him."

Willow closed her eyes for a moment. She'd been so _busy_ during the time that it'd taken to get her husband sent off to Atlas for his burial that she'd forgotten to check up on the young man. She smiled at her youngest daughter, as she made a motion with her hand.

"Do go visit your boy, daughter. He will appreciate the sight of a pretty girl when he wakes up."

He would be appreciating the sight of a beautiful woman when he was _functional_ again. Willow Schnee did not plan on being a _lonely_ widow for a long while. The children required a father and they would _get_ their father, even if he was the same age as Weiss. Whitley had actually been the one that had taken the young man's afflicted state the worst, so she would make sure that her youngest child would keep the young man in his mind.

' _You are better than you imagine, Jaune Arc. I owe you much…'_

It would not be a bad thought to go herself as well. Sienna had been giving intermittent reports, as swamped as she was with the whole fallout of that _disastrous_ interview. It had managed to land in the latest gossip mags as 'Khan creates furor by dismissing the death of SDC CEO', but it had also given the Faunus hope.

There had been less labour complaints since the death of her husband and several new regulations that had been instated since his death, allowing for better compensation at the cost of longer hours. It worked decently, at least with the general populace that mined the Dust.

"I… I will go. Are you going to be back for dinner? Winter said that she'd check up on Jaune, and- and we've still decided that he's the man we're going to share, no matter what you think of it."

She put the smile on her lips as she cringed internally, not quite as happy about that prospect. Whatever Jaune had done to those girls, he most certainly had charmed them as she herself had been charmed.

' _And he most likely was involved with the death of my husband as well…_ '

Of course, there had been an investigation made, and it was clear that the umbrella weapon that Jaune Arc had used had attracted lightning, but the weather had been unusually volatile in the few days before due to the El Grande phenomenon, so it was not unexpected. The lightning storms of Vacuo were famous for their thunder and lightning.

' _Quite a pickle…'_

The thought of donning a nurse outfit and ' _checking up_ ' on the young man briefly flitted past her mind's eye, and she smiled at her daughter with a little more warmth to her smile.

' _But not something unsurpassable. With the wealth of the Schnee Dust Company, he will have the best of care, even if he is confined to a wheelchair.'_

The results of his unconsciousness were still somewhat unknown, but he could be crippled for life. She would make it a good life, though. The young man that she loved would need nothing aside of her love and care, and Sienna could share with her.

' _He will be loved, more than my husband ever was.'_

He was such a stupid _idiot_ , sacrificing his own health to get rid of her husband. Weiss and Winter would just have to learn how to deal with the fact that their mother was going to make him her husband.

' _No matter what…'_

Winter and Weiss had inherited her love, and they had inherited some of her traits, but Willow Schnee burned with a passion and love that was not defiled by the marriage that she'd suffered for so long.

' _I always get what I want.'_

* * *

The door opened after Nora had started to get into one of the zany stories about her dreams, slowly stripping the fact from the fiction. Clearly, there were no syrup fountains at Beacon, and Ren was quick to correct that there had been only one Ursa.

"Hello there, Mister Arc. I'm Doctor Maple."

A pleasant-looking woman with a white coat appeared, his mother at her side, already looking like she'd improved a little, seating herself in the seat that Pyrrha had just vacated.

"Had quite a shock there, didn't you? Lightning struck your weapon and reacted with the lightning dust worked into the spine of the weapon, so you may be feeling a tingling sensation from time to time, which is completely normal. Can you move your toes for me for a bit?"

He tried to move them, making a little wiggle, the doctor giving him an encouraging look, as she reached out of sight and he felt a hand grab a hold of his big toe. He wriggled it a little, the woman giving a soft relieved sigh.

"Good, good, that's a _good_ thing. Many victims of lightning strikes have issues with sensation and the use of their limbs. We've been waiting for you to wake up, but after such a heavy shock to the nervous system, not many people tend to wake up. It's a shame, indeed, but it's what we see here more often than not."

He tried to affect his face with a concerned expression, but his brow furrowed a little as he tried to move a little. He wanted to look at himself, and the woman seemed to understand a little.

"Could you hold his head up a little? Mister Arc, what you are going to see may be a little shocking, but rest assured that we are doing everything to keep scarring to a minimum."

His head was gently seized by Pyrrha who pulled it up a little to make him able to look at his body. Pale skin that looked fresh and new in some parts were visible, as marks showed clearly where a bolt of lightning had hit him, the numbness of his limbs and lack of response from them moving a little. The doctor adjusted something, a drip-feed that had been inserted in his arm, barely felt by him.

"You're in good hands, Jaune. You have the best specialists looking after you, you won't need to worry."

Weiss was making a good case, but he was sure that she would be a little awkward now that he'd eliminated her father from this world. He felt weak, his eyes closing as he felt very sleepy all of a sudden.

"I think he's fading out again. We'll have him on some stronger medication to let him recover, and make sure that he'll be able to walk again in a few months."

' _Hey! That doesn't sound good!'_

A few months was most definitely when the Vytal festival would be over. He'd have to wait two years for that to come around again and Pyrrha, Nora and Ren really wanted to give a good showing too!

He was out like a light after nearly thirty seconds had passed.

* * *

Jaune woke up to the soft beep of the monitors, catching sight of his middle sister Camellia leaning against his bed, smiling at her as she leaned back in surprise.

"Hey."

She perked up, her eyes warming up as she gingerly moved his pillow a little so that he could looking around just a bit.

"Hey there, little blonde… Guess who's back? Camellia's back, so don't tell your friends."

He smiled at his older sister, aware that she'd been busy with her work as a historian, her fingers touching his cheek and making a smile slip onto his face with the tired expression on her face barely changing with that touch.

"The nerd. S'rry."

His big sister smiled at him, and he heard someone give a soft laugh, his younger sister Salmon giving a light laugh at the way that he'd called Camellia a nerd. It was pretty funny, as Camellia looked at him.

"Guess who came by on the first day of your stay? Sienna Khan, the top bitch of the White Fang herself."

' _Oh yeah…'_

Camellia had been pretty outspoken on her views on Faunus ever since the abortion. It'd been a contentious issue, as she'd been pretty pro-Faunus before her boyfriend had ditched her.

"What d'd sh' w'nt?"

His throat ached and hurt, a small straw and a water bottle presented. He made an acknowledging sound and the straw was pushed into his mouth, as he sucked.

"She brought flowers and said that you'd get bodyguards, for some reason beyond my knowledge. She looked snooty, like I was some kind of animal in her eyes! The bitch should just resign and go live in a barn or something, with the whole rest of her kind."

' _Ouch… That's my girlfriend you're talking about…'_

This might just be a little bit more difficult than he'd expected. Camellia had been pretty anti-Faunus ever since her boyfriend had ditched her.

"She is a blight on this world and her whole race! They'll stab you in the back when you least expect it! Evil eyes! She has evil eyes that rape you where you stand!"

' _I might've forgotten Camellia's dislike of Faunus… This is going to be tough. Not that she wasn't pretty on point with the last part. Sienna's got that look in her eyes at times when she wants to have sex.'_

His sister Salmon sighed. Camellia was a great older sister, but she could get awfully heated about things. Where Vivian had always been a bit of a hothead, Camellia took it sometimes a little further.

"Not everything is a conspiracy, Cam. I'm sure that Sienna Khan just came to check up on him, since she congratulated him before…"

He looked at his sisters and Camellia smiled at him and patted his hand. It was nice and warm.

' _Yeah… I should introduce Willow and Sienna to them gently…'_

Dating a Faunus was pretty much against Camellia's line of thought, but it didn't mean that the others didn't think the same.

"How' mom, money?"

Salmon looked a little concerned. He _was_ concerned. Mom, as far as he knew, was _not_ good with money. His sisters knew that too, and Salmon and Camellia shared a look.

"Don't worry about that, Jaune. We'll find a way to make ends meet, and-"

He made a dark sound in his throat, flexing his Aura, trying to force his body to heal. He didn't like the sound of those words. His mother, with her impulsive spending, would bankrupt the family if she was left to buy whatever she wanted. It'd been tough on the budget already with him being unable to do much more than work summer jobs, but still.

"M'ney, bank account. Fifty-tho'snd. Use."

He'd be a bad son if he couldn't support his family, knowing that it'd be something that he should do since dad had died.

"Saphron's more than enough to keep us in the house, Jaune. You don't have to use your money, it's yours."

Camellia, ever the sensible one on non-Faunus related subjects, spoke up, and he narrowed his eyes at her. It might be his money, but that didn't mean that he should be keeping it for himself. His family mattered, and he was trying.

His head raised somewhat, as his aura burned, his muscles, lax from disuse, straining. His head lowered once more, as he felt the rush of pain go through him.

"Use it."

His voice was a little stronger, less scratchy than before. Salmon looked at him and she shook her head.

"We'll make it work, Jaune. _Don't_ worry about it. Focus on getting better again."

Anger rose inside him, as he tried to ball his fists but couldn't muster the motion yet, his hands laying there limply. He heard the door open and saw a green wide-brimmed hat appear, Pyrrha appearing in his view, the new accessory something that'd been remarked upon.

"Do you want me to give you a bath, Jaune?'

He gave her a pained smile as she held up a sponge, his sisters giving her a look, as far as he could see. She was unashamed, and he knew it.

' _The things we did… Thanks for your help, Pyrrha.'_

The metalworking skills that'd come for the lightning Dust umbrella had been a recommendation from Pyrrha, and the Semblance that she had was enough to hyper-magnetize the metal. He hadn't told her what it had been for, but she'd undoubtedly guessed.

' _Loyalty…'_

She was loyal, and he knew her tastes. For him, she'd do anything, and no matter what it was…

' _Well, I guess that you picked the right woman to head to.'_

It wasn't something he'd paid too much attention to over the week before the assasi-Schnee-tion, but it was _still_ something that he appreciated.

"Plea-se?"

She smiled and he felt the cool damp sponge against his skin, Pyrrha's hands working with efficiency and some skill. She'd been practising, the green hat set on the chair. Selfless love, with something that was a little different.

' _Have I been blind?'_

He loved two women. One of them burned like a blazing flame and the other was as gentle as the moon, peering down from upon high. Pyrrha had wanted love, and he'd accepted her.

' _It's going to be a while before I'll be able to get out of bed.'_

"We can take over, if you want us to. It wouldn't be the first time we've had to wash this dirty boy."

It tingled, Jaune knew, as Pyrrha continued her working, washing his body, his sisters' comment expected.

"It's okay. It's just something that I should do for the guy I like. His friends would be upset if I didn't do- Well, at least this much."

A bittersweet smile on Pyrrha's lips as she continued her washing. She was unruffled, but she held different motives than others.

"Ooh! You've got a crush on him!"

Salmon sounded excited, as Camellia made a curious face, Pyrrha's spluttering stammers that it wasn't like that, that she wasn't into that kind of thing, that she was just saying it because she appreciated him.

"No."

' _I like two women, come on… It's bad enough that they're asking questions.'_

"Come on, spill! Have you kissed her yet? Ooh! I bet they've had _sex_. Our little brother is growing up! He'll be coming home with a hot beauty on each arm and we'll bemoan our lack of dating!"

Pyrrha turned red, and he remembered the last time he'd had sex. That had been an _interesting_ moment, and he couldn't help thinking about Sienna's words. Sienna had sounded so triumphant that it had been even more charming than before.

"H-he's just my f-friend and partner. We aren't… like that. No… No sex, no."

She blushed red. It was true, and he smiled softly. Pyrrha Nikos was aware of her position in his life, and he felt her brush over his lower body, the covers lifted up, a soft mumble of 'Well, that's certainly not a thing he minds.'- from Salmon.

He supposed that it was all because of what their insinuations were like. His sisters were lovely women, but they gossiped quite a lot. It'd be annoying to have to face them when they were all at home and trying to know everything about his relationships.

' _This is a mess…'_

Sienna would probably not be overly concerned off the bat about things that happened, because she was sure of herself. Nothing got Sienna Khan down. She was the tiger Faunus who always leapt at the challenge.

"Sooo… That's quite a tent you're pitching, Jaune. Going to make her give you a happy ending, hmm? Mister big leader man, bossing around the redheaded girl that he's partnered with?"

He frowned at his sister, giving her a heated look. Most certainly _not_. He looked at Pyrrha, whose smile was knowing. A feeling of somewhat dread came over him. He wasn't really capable of moving, and if Pyrrha wished to break her word, she could.

' _You won't…'_

Sienna would rip into Pyrrha if she did. It was the agreement that had been made.

"Stop that."

Pyrrha froze up and moved her hands away, his eyes turning to Salmon, who was still smiling like she'd seen a good prey to torment. He really didn't like that side to her.

"Do. Yourself. Brat-sister."

Salmon looked mock-affronted, before she sighed and shook her head.

"Totally normal, little brother. You guys get a stiffy when a hot woman's touching your body. I mean, have you looked at her body? She's a professional."

He'd seen her body more than once too. Pyrrha was… _delicate_. Pyrrha was gorgeous as well, but there was an understanding.

"I know."

Salmon patted his head, like she always did. The faint pink-brownish shirt that she wore was enough, as Pyrrha washed him, without hesitation or shyness. It was awkward being washed like this, but it wasn't like he could interrupt Pyrrha.

' _She's dedicated.'_

"So, what do you want to do when you graduate from Beacon, huh? Be my little brother's girlfriend, go on adventures together?"

A soft smile, as her cheeks burned red. He knew what she wanted. She wanted the peacefulness of a life where she did not have to be the one to perform, where she didn't have to be the one called Pyrrha Nikos, heroine.

"I'd like to be a housekeeper, making sure that the man I love has a warm home to return to and care for his children."

He smiled as the memory of how Pyrrha had stated her goals came to mind. Her fingers pulled the hat back on, as she smiled with that inner peace, looking at him with eyes filled with kindness and warmth.

' _You're loyal and in love.'_

He appreciated her. He really did appreciate his partner, even though he loved two women of different temperament. It was all so conflicting to him.

"Guess you've got marriage in the bag, huh? A hot redhead like this…"

A knock on the door and his sister went for it, as Pyrrha shifted the covers back again, the underwear pushed back on, the pain welling up suddenly, as someone stepped into his view. Her hair done up in a bun, Winter Schnee looked like the picture of elegance and stylishness, her hands held behind her back in the fashion of a woman who knew exactly where her priorities laid, her eyes never looking away from him.

"I see you are awake, Mister Arc."

He gave her a smile, as she smiled in return. The woman looked at his sisters and at his partner.

"My name is Winter Schnee. I am General Ironwood's personal assistant and a member of the Specialist branch of the military, and have come here in order to verify whether Mister Arc is still in a suitable condition."

It was a lie that he spotted, as intimately familiar with her body language as her mother had been, Winter's hands behind her back, thus stopping anyone from seeing the fidgeting that she was doing, her chest pressed forward. She had been worried about him.

His sister Camellia got up and offered her a hand, which Winter took.

"Camellia Arc. My condolences for the loss of your father, Specialist Schnee."

Winter seemed to be in a placating mood as she nodded, gravely. Personally he suspected that it might have had something to do with her own elation, if he'd have to make a guess to her motivation, at finally having the peace of mind to know that the man was dead.

' _He wasn't a good father to his children.'_

His Willow deserved a man who would be there for her and her children, age be damned. He would be a good man to Willow _and_ Sienna, or his name wasn't Jaune Arc!

"My condolences as well."

Salmon added, and he tried to lift his hand, Winter's smile growing a little warmer, as she leaned forward. He could see that she'd adjusted her outfit just a little to give herself some cleavage, as she took his hand and squeezed it in a manner that was perhaps a bit too intimate.

"I _lived_ , Winter."

She couldn't stop herself from flashing a small smile, giving a nod of understanding. If she'd suspected that he'd had anything to do with it, he'd have been cuffed to the bed, paralysis or not.

"Indeed. The weather has been frightful these past few days, as the storm cell moves towards the Vytal region. You are lucky to be alive."

He _was_. He'd told Amber to hit him a few times, trusting that his Aura would be able to take it. Telling Sienna and Willow would have had a sniper on someplace and Jacques being filled with lead which might've just given the worst kind of implication to the world about the Faunus… But this was the only way.

"My con-do-lenses."

The words hurt to say, because he didn't mean them. He'd been a man who'd condemned people to death, who'd done the ruthless things that he had to in order to protect what was his. His eyes firmed in their blue-eyed stare, meeting Winter's, her fingers caressing over his hand. Not that he minded that too much, but she seemed to be drawn into his eyes.

"My little sister has been here to visit as well, I have heard. With Miss Khan putting two bodyguards outside your door, it was a little _irksome_ to arrange this meeting. Once you are able to move your lower body, we will have dedicated surgeons check whether you are capable to be fitted with a set of bio-mechanical assistants, in order to restore full mobility to your body."

' _That's a big sacrifice.'_

He raised an eyebrow, Winter looking at him with a look that was superior. That hand had gone from merely caressing his hand to stroking it, seemingly out of character for her, as she smiled.

' _Damn it, you Schnee and your sexy smiles!'_

She wasn't a bad-looking woman, if he wasn't already in love with her mother, he might have gone for it. He could do _worse_ than a Schnee.

"Thank you."

The woman's eyes firmed and her hand stopped and was retracted in a flash, at her side once more, her eyes looking with a certain trend of severity.

"It is not suitable for a young gentleman who has aided Vale to remain crippled for life. My mother has said that if it is required, the Schnee Dust Company will sponsor you for the costs. It is regrettable that my father lost his life, but you have yours ahead of you, so we will have to ensure that you can live it well. Atlas has the technology, and we will share it with the world."

The salute was more formality than expected, Winter following through it without even stopping to think. It was a slow twist of her head as she looked at him with that look of care and concern, her smile turning womanly.

"My… apologies, Mister Arc. I will be visiting you again in the near future."

' _Fuck. She isn't out of the race yet…'_

Winter had that look on her face that showed that she was seeing a challenge before her eyes, that did not flinch away from making those stubborn decisions that she was known for. Every Schnee seemed to be stubborn in some fashion, as well as proud.

"Thank you."

It was all he could say, as his throat hurt and burned, aching with that pain that seemed to well up from the depths of his throat, his whole body feeling a wave of pain go through it. It was unpleasant and discomforting, but it was what he had to suffer through. He was going to get _better_ and he would be able to walk again _without_ any assistance.

She gave him a confident smile, striding out of the room and leaving him staring at the ceiling, as his eyes found Pyrrha and he gave a sheepish smile.

"Oh gods, did she just flirt with you? That was a _flirt_! You're a man now, Jaune!"

' _Sienna isn't going to be too happy with that…'_

Sienna had her own problems, of course. Undoubtedly, she would be busy with her work for the White Fang.

Thirty minutes later, his mother had rejoined them and Salmon and Camellia were talking about the encounter with the Schnee lady, Salmon embellishing it a little saying that she'd given him a 'scorching hot look', Pyrrha giving a light cough, citing that she had to return to Beacon, donning her hat again.

"So, when are you going to introduce your girlfriend to us, Jaune? I'm sure that they must be worried about you. When I asked your partner about it, she said that your girlfriend was one of the most powerful and strong women that she knew, and I'm curious as to what she's like."

' _Crap…'_

He wasn't sure whether the family could survive meeting Hurricane Sienna and the Winter Storm that was Willow.

' _They'd probably call me mad…'_

He hadn't seen either woman yet, but that would only be a matter of time, he reckoned. Sienna wasn't one to shy away from her personal time with him, after all.

"Busy. She works. Very hard. Important job."

He'd have to get better. Pushing his Aura into his limbs, he started to lift his hand a little, trying to force motion into it again. He _wasn't_ giving up, he was going to _get up_ and _walk_.

' _I've got my friends waiting for me, and Willow and Sienna.'_

He'd get up and be _strong_ again.

His fingers clenched slowly before they relaxed once again.

* * *

 **The Final Arc! Meet the Arcs! Camellia, mentioned beforehand, has a bit of a bone to pick with the Faunus people! Will Willow finally find the time to go forth and claim her young gentleman? Find out in the final arc!**

 **Also: There's official smut. Someone commissioned me to write something, and well… It's Canon now, because it explains where he got the lightning rod from perfectly! It's fitting, given the personality of the characters involved. It sort of takes place in the week before the assassination and kind of between Willow's Breakdown and Winter's Captivity. This story is going the way of a harem, for _some_ reason. Sienna and Willow are still the top ladies though! Do not despair! Some guests may be added to the dance, but the main pairing is still the way of Schnee-Khan! Jaune's going to have to live with the fact that Sienna and Willow share their man(Or at least, Willow is SERIOUS now in the Battle for the Arc). There will also be the whole Faunus cultural aspect addressed...**

 **Since I know quite a few people have been curious about that. Sienna's reasonings are explained when she pops up again. People, I'm in the end stretch, don't just go and say "Oh no, it's ruined." when it's just the first chapter of the last story arc. Considering that the Jacques Schnee's Revenge Arc just ended, well, I'd say we're on our way to a thrilling finalé. There are still trials to overcome, even if some things don't really make sense right now. Get ready for the Faunus. Sienna has her reasons for putting guards at his door.**

 **It's still _questionable_ in some respects, as far as things go with the smut. The Green Hat - The dance of tigers side-story. No under 18's allowed! It holds lewd stuff! 18+ stuff, about a domineering Sienna.**

 **I've got some good news in that it's not cancer making my body ill again, so now... More stuff! But I'm a little less worried now that I'm going to leave you all without a conclusion to this story, people! Thanks for your support!**

 **Until next time! Leave a review and know that the story's going into the final Arc!**


	46. Danseur noble

**Chapter 46: Danseur noble**

 **People, getting hit with a lightning strike isn't usually survivable. Jaune was pretty damn lucky.**

* * *

Sienna Khan was _not_ a very pleased woman right now. She looked at the burly orderly currently in front of her, the man's eyes looking dangerous, the barrel-sized chest looking like it needed a firm good whacks to it in order to let her pass.

"I don't _care_ about visitation hours or whatever bullcrap you're peddling. Let me the fuck in or I'll make your face cave in!"

She wasn't going to let her guy be laid up in bed and awake for too long, even if it was just her looking at that cute face for a while as he slept. She didn't mind that. Sleeping Jaune was just as the awake Jaune, and she couldn't help but feel worried.

"Miss Khan, we are not allowing visitors. It's already something of an exception that your two bodyguards are allowed to be at his door, and-"

The guy was talking too much. She whistled, Adam taking the front, as she pushed past the man. She wasn't going to be delayed due to someone with an over-inflated idea of what constituted acceptable visitation times, no. She wasn't going to stop being Sienna Khan either, and she needed to see her man, even if he couldn't move. She had a damn claim and it was by whatever spirit that governed them all that she'd keep it.

Giving her most scathing glare to Sylvester, the short dark-skinned cat Faunus with a floppy cattail, the massive mountain of muscle that went by Tweety most of the time because his full name 'Twaithe Forescythe Theophilus Yellow' was too wordy to use, the yellow crest of feathers that stuck from his head looking sternly at him. The unspoken 'Tell me or I'll burn your face off' was probably the best incentive for them to speak.

"No Faunus visitors, High Leader. We've been barring any and all from the room. One of his sisters is a member of the Liga, and disapproves of our presence. Vocally."

She frowned, but it wasn't going to be too big of a bother. Humans were fickle in their beliefs, anyways. She had to get to her guy, her man, the bitch who was going to tame her again. She had _needs_ , she had _cravings_ , and it'd been too long!

How people could survive for a week without sex with their partner was beyond her. She wanted some dick! Jaune Dick! A woman had needs!

"She can disapprove of a lot of stuff, but he's still needing guards. Any bitches come close to him and you break their neck, y'hear? I don't pay you to lounge about."

She didn't really pay them too much, but that was all semantics. They knew who the boss bitch was, and that was _still_ her! Sienna Khan bowed for no-one, but she needed her guy right now. The door was pushed open and she entered the room. The decoration stuff as well as the cards that had been sent to the address of the young man, including many that were scent-marked…

' _Bitches thinking that they can get what's the Khan's by just spraying their scent on it like a randy bitch in heat.'_

Of course, she'd never do something like that. She wasn't so crude. She just rubbed her scent onto his like a good woman should do, through copious love-making! There was a _difference!_ Looking at the young man in the bed, she watched his eyes light up, spotting nobody else in the room, which was a good thing, she imagined.

"H'lo, Sinna."

She flashed her cattiest of grins, taking a seat at the bed, her fingers starting to trace over her man's body. She looked at his face, the fingers slowly driving the nails into the skin, giving her man a little pinch, which made him shiver.

' _Good. We don't need a cripple.'_

It was important for her status. A partner that was crippled was a little less accepted, though for his services to the Faunus people, all about him would be accepted. Getting crippled thanks to slaying the Faunus Devil was acceptable. She leaned down and sniffed him. A small nod as the scent of cleaning alcohol and other such medical smells hit her.

' _Good, he wasn't raped. Nobody touches what is Khan's.'_

The competition would really start to break loose now that he was the most eligible bachelor in the world. It was undoubtedly the work of whatever guiding god spirit gave the world meaning, but she was fucking the man who was the most desirable.

She'd almost want to go off birth control so that she'd get properly into the race, but her career was more important. Willow and her were a nice duality. With the death of her husband, more of an avenue was opened up.

' _Looselips doesn't seem to have been too affected by that little nipple-slip. I heard she's dropping the assault case.'_

Sometimes, you had to pay a small fine, but it was worth it. Bitchy Mcpurple seemed to have not been too affected by the little faux-pas, and Sienna had been surprised to find that she'd received fan mail from the human women who thought it was 'empowering', or whatever that meant. Humans could be so picky about stupid stuff, even if she was responsible for the Faunus.

' _I'm a woman, so I like to have sex. Nothing wrong with that, people are always so shy about that sort of thing.'_

"Hello there, blondie. Gotten yourself in a bad spot, didn't you?"

Her hand most certainly was making its way down, getting below the covers. Important things were to be done first, a look on his face as she gave his manhood a firm grope. Her other hand jerked her top down. The Khan Mountain Range stood there, perkily, as his eyes watched them.

' _Still works. YES!'_

Impotence wouldn't be nice! That's sure ruin the sex!

"Glad t' kn'w y' stll w'nt m."

The speaking part wasn't very handy, but she supposed that it would be easier if he had some more rest. She put her best smile on as her hand moved, Jaune's face looking at her with a queer look.

"Of _course!_ Why should I not want you? You worked for the betterment of the Faunus people, so I am interested in you."

Her fingers squeezed and her grip shifted, using her palm. It was good to touch him again. Very important, yes. His eyes flicked down, as she continued with her ministrations. Proper scent-marking was important. He'd need to smell like her. Very important.

"H'rny cat."

She nodded. _Very_ horny. It'd been nine days! Her vibrator had worn out. Was this what most humans suffered? Work was easier than before! No more Schnee Asshole to worry about, only a few racism complaints and occupational hazards, and there was this whole little thing about eh…

' _I guess that wasn't too important. I mean, who cares about human interns? Sure, let em work with the Fang. We're a good political organization!'_

Sienna's eyes went to his face, as her hand started to go even faster, her body rising from her seat, kissing his lips. He tasted a little like peppermint, and she briefly wondered whether someone had actually kissed him before, before she dismissed that thought. Family and friends had been allowed, so it would not be much more. She didn't smell any other Faunus on him, so she was still in the lead.

Blake would have to sit this one out. She had blown her chance, and Eve was currently making her comeback in the ranks. A smile on her face couldn't hide just how she felt. Her man was a killer and it was _glorious_.

"I love you."

It was a private admission, something that many would see as a weakness but she knew perfectly that he could see it for what it was. Love was a fickle thing, but she remembered Kali Belladonna's claiming of her husband. It had been a terrible ' _coincidence'_ that every single challenger suddenly had food poisoning, and those who didn't, had to back away after they appeared. She remembered that one of them had their eye gouged out in a _terrible_ accident with a fork.

' _Not quite as fierce as your mother is, Blake…'_

Kali was a great friend. She knew the stakes, and if she'd been ten years younger, undoubtedly she would have joined in, if she did not have a child with Ghira.

"I lov yu tuu."

Her hand stopped, as she pushed it into her pants. His eyes looked at her with a weirded out look, frowning back at him and then pushing her fingers into , before she pressed them back again.

It was important, of course, she didn't do stuff like that for just every Huey, Schmuey and Chop Suey. The man she'd bare her neck for deserved to be known to the people as the Khan's. There was still the _right_.

' _I should instruct Adam to keep a personal watch. No telling whether some gay guy might not take advantage.'_

She would NOT be imagining her man with another man, especially not in this condition! Sienna Khan did not play second fiddle to a homosexual! No!

' _They can switch. Eve knows that I will put her in a woodchipper if she does untoward things.'_

She knew where to find one. It wasn't an idle threat. She would make sure that Jaune was hers in the eyes of the Faunus. It was how it had always been, how it would always would be for them. All other lesser women and men would bow before supreme strength!

' _If they think they can steal the prize of the Khan, they'd better beware!'_

"Y're str'nge, S'nna."

She pressed her lips tightly together. In her opinion, it was humans who were strange! Why they didn't determine the strongest through a contest of strength was beyond her! Jacques Schnee had been a weakling, someone who abused the Faunus under his employment with bad labour conditions and generally ill-paid dangerous work whilst paying a barely living-wage.

"Not at all. They need to know who you belong to."

That was sensible. If Jaune belonged to her, she'd have to claw out the eyes of people. Faunus didn't do this lightly, and even Eve would bend the knee. Not that Eve was much of a difficult partner anymore, after the bit of re-education. It had been _amusing_ , so to say, to feel Eve writhe. It served to remind the others that Sienna Khan was the High Leader.

She bowed to no-one, and if her man wanted to make her grovel before him, she'd _consider_ it. It might be _fun_. It would be _fun_. She should get something prepared, either way.

"S'lly. W're dati'n'g?"

She nodded. Fucking, dating, that whole stuff. It wasn't like she could just say goodbye to the Faunus under her care either, as she still had those obligations, but there was a certain order to things, something that neither Adam nor Eve would forget.

' _I should just go and beat the bitches into the hospital one more time… Broken bones don't heal that quickly…'_

She was still Sienna Khan, damn it!

"Hospital costs are covered, as far as it goes. We do take care of those people injured that we care for. You are an honorary member of the White Fang."

A small exhale that might be a laugh came from him, his face twitching into that faint smile that barely could be done by the cheek muscles. A man who was proud, weakened now. He had withstood lightning in order to kill the man who had been a blight on this world, and nobody would tell Sienna Khan otherwise.

' _If you could deal with Cinder Fall, then this is no coincidence…'_

She wanted to mount him right here and now, but it would not be wise to do so when he was recuperating. She mentally added three more guards to his detail, already thinking about the people she would select. It wouldn't be odd for her to invest a little in the future of her partner, of course. It could be written off as a 'worthwhile expense' for the 'saviour of the Faunus' in the books, if the bookkeepers started to get fussy again.

' _If they complain one more time about the fact that I wanted to have a bed installed in my office, I will make those pencil-pushers feel a big pencil being rammed in their eye-hole!'_

She was Sienna Khan and she loved her people, but things such as 'budgets' 'strategy meetings' and 'PR' were better left to others when it came to non-public speaking roles. She was a woman first and foremost now, and her partner was in the hospital.

' _Seven might be a good number. You cannot trust other women to be moral. They might assault him.'_

She nodded to herself once more. She wouldn't want there to be _challengers_ to her title.

"D'get a sh'rt?"

A playful smile he gave her, winking at her. She mentally sized him up. It wouldn't be bad for him to wear something of hers. A small nod, as she looked at him.

"Am I not good enough for you?"

He couldn't really shake his head, but she saw the tender look in her man's eyes, wondering briefly whether it wouldn't be better to privatize his revalidation. The hospital was big, after all… and there would be _media_. Unhappy media people, indeed. The guy she was claiming wasn't some unknown schmuck who hadn't been heard of by the world at large.

' _An all-you-can-eat buffet…'_

She definitely was going to put more guards on him.

"Y're enough. W'lllo? H've you sp'ken?"

Talking was hard for him, it seemed. He was just watching her, his fingers twitching a little. That was good, she supposed. Twitchy fingers meant that there was more recovery for him than expected. She looked at his beautiful face and smiled.

' _Oh yeah, we spoke.'_

Willow hadn't been too busy to clear her schedule up a little. The whiskey had been fine with her stomach as Willow served herself with something fruity, not even going for the drink that she'd gone for to soothe her worries.

"She'll be coming around in a few days. We're in agreement though."

It was all perfectly sensible! Sienna knew that it would be a bit of a beat-down, but once Jaune was able to walk again, he should be perfectly capable of being the man that they needed. A man was a man, because he did what no one else can.

She wasn't going to deny him the right to be the man he was. That's how things always got fussy.

' _Oh, wait, didn't he have like, a big family?'_

She pressed her lips together tightly.

"Yes, we should meet your family. Formalize stuff. I should be getting some sleep though. It's three in the morning."

She had only had this amount of time, because stupid bureaucracy and other stuff. Didn't people understand that she wanted to get laid?! Her man was in the hospital like he was grilled fish and she didn't even get to fuck his dick! What would people think about Sienna Khan if she stayed with her man all the time, like someone who didn't trust him to defend himself?

' _First meeting is at eight… so that'll be two-three hours of sleep…'_

She had to get espresso in the morning, again. Not the worst thought, as he smiled at her.

"Tha's goo."

It was. She was going to win. She was Sienna Khan and Sienna Khan did not lose to any lesser Faunus in the battle.

' _And when he's marked and sealed, let's see anyone dare to come at us.'_

"Very good."

It seems she might have to make a general meeting to impress upon her lesser female employees that it would be _unwise_ to threaten that which belongs to Khan.

' _I'll send Adam and Cow Tits.'_

She was sure that it would be fine. No bitch was going to steal her man away from her and win the fight. Qiangqin was _not_ going to be happening to her Jaune.

* * *

It was nice to see Sienna again, the Faunus woman's hand giving a dose of pleasure, her eyes burning with that fiery passion that never seemed to fade out, the smile on her face as 'vicious' as her smile always was. She was a big sweetheart when she was around him, even if people said otherwise.

"Get well soon. I'll send more guards. They will not bother you much, they know what their place is."

He really thought that she was exaggerating just a bit with that, knowing that she cared, but more guards than the two gruff guys who stood in front of his door certainly wasn't necessary… But it was what Sienna wanted.

With her, he always had to make a short guess at what she wanted, because sometimes it was as if she was speaking Mistralian in a Vacuan Sauna. Of course, she _did_ speak Mistralian, and there had been a moment where she'd donned that nice Mistralian dress and eh…

' _That was fun.'_

Of course, it was fun for both of them. He believed in giving Sienna his love, even though Willow was also a topic that occasionally cropped up. With her husband dead, she must be busy…

He slowly drifted off, waking up in the morning to find a nurse massaging his legs, the young man's motions not too rough, yet also not too soft that it would barely be felt. He wondered whether he would be able to move again, the sensations felt lightly, as if someone had wrapped him in cotton. Sienna's motions had made him get off, but she'd been touchy.

He needed to get some sort of Faunus primer book or something, because Sienna was confusing at best some times. When she was in her mood of 'rawr, I am Sienna Khan, Invincible Super-Woman of the White Fang', she shone like a diamond, but her serious moods were sometimes really mystifying.

"When's food?"

The nurse looked up, pushing his glasses a little further up his nose.

"Soon, Mister Arc. I'm just here to do your physical therapy. Things look to be improving, as far as the chart shows… but I'm not an expert or anything."

Jaune knew that it wouldn't be easy to become an expert at something, the door opening and his mother entering, smiling brightly at him.

"Jaune, how are you feeling? I brought some chicken soup, I know you love that."

' _I'd like it more if I was able to eat it by myself.'_

Not to say that the chicken soup wasn't unwanted, of course. The sippy cup that he'd been nursed on looked to be still in fine condition, as she held it up, the greenish-yellow tint of the chicken soup in it making him feel a little bit better.

"Th'nks."

Camellia sat down, a smile on her face, her eyes looking as bright as they always did.

"So, how's my little brother today? Nice dreams about sexy nurses?"

He was pretty sure that if he had hot dreams about sexy nurses, Sienna might have a minor issue with that. She was a pretty demanding girlfriend/partner, and it wouldn't be-

"Yeah, that's a thought that makes you still able to function. Damn, if I'd known I'd have brought you something to entertain yourself, but yeah… All I've got is History Monthly."

' _Sienna in a nurse outfit is hot, I'm not going to lie.'_

Willow added to that was not going to make him respond any differently because the image of those two was just irresistible. Nurse Sienna and Nurse Willow, a slow sponge bath with a bit of extra soap and cleaning.

"T'ease."

Camellia smiled, as she adjusted the covers a little, her head shaking a little at him, his mother just looking concerned, Camellia's joke not having landed properly. That was okay.

"And here we are."

Camellia looked up, as he saw the red hair of Adam appear, Eve at his side. Both went dressed in copies of Adam's get-up, Eve wearing a modest black top that bared her midriff below the jacket, her eyes looking at him in a manner that he didn't quite get.

"Hello, my name is Adam Taurus and this is my sister, Eve. We're the additional security detail for Mister Arc."

Adam sounded much better than he had before, Eve giving him a little wink. Camellia's face turned darker and more thunderous than before. Adam's face showed surprise at the negative emotion, before his gaze went down and the pin was noticed.

' _Yeah, that's two very different political parties…'_

There was a challenge in his older sister's eyes as Eve sat herself down on one of the chairs, Adam remaining standing. His weapon was at his side, as it always was, sitting down. His sister would not make a fuss, not here.

"You've got some nerve, coming here, you filthy barn-yard animals! Go back to the pasture!"

' _Yes, she'd make a fuss…'_

Adam's eyes hardened somewhat and Jaune winced internally at the way that his sister had just referred to the Taurus Twins. That was about as warm as she'd get.

Eve raised her hand and spoke up.

"Barnyard animal here, represented! _Moo!"_

Adam and Camellia turned their head to look at Eve, who had a smile on her face and gave a cheeky little wink at his sister, before she turned her gaze to him. "Soooo, feeding time for our little blonde gnat?"

' _I am not a blonde gnat.'_

He was very capable of feeding himself, with the assistance of his hands, but it was not going to be very easy with his lips.

"Yes, I've brought some soup, Miss Taurus. You and your brother are-"

The heated debate about Faunus rights and regulation started, Camellia and Adam standing opposite of each other, the latter gesticulating a few times at his sister, as the verbal diarrhoea started.

"- not, huh? Didn't your animal of a mother teach you that you should respect your human betters, huh?"

Adam, to his credit, barely flinched. The man's eyes narrowed at Jaune's older sister, who looked like she was going to go on a rant about the conflict again. History should remain history, and shouldn't be put to the forefront of the world.

' _Yeah… She's still mad.'_

"No, but she taught me that respect was a two-way street and that you, miss, are not showing me any. We fight for our rights because we had none, ninety years ago! Ninety years, and now you're proselytizing about abolishing those rights! We earned them in the Revolution!"

' _Not giving much ground there…'_

His sister crossed her arms, her eyes fiery and passionate. History was her major and she always had something to say about it, his mother sighing softly.

"She's a passionate girl. There was a little bit of a hang-up a few years ago, but that's now… Well, it's not really my business to speak of. You have your own culture and we have ours."

' _Always trying to mend fences…'_

He hoped that his mother would not give too bad an impression, Eve being all smiles, as Adam's retort to Camellia's response to his earlier statement came with more passion. It made him remember that Adam used to be in control of the White Fang in Vale as a leader and that he, now properly medicated, still was a part of the White Fang.

' _Funny how you forget people's jobs when you're friends with them.'_

Sienna made sure to not let work interfere too much with her 'personal time', as she called it, and he was going to be healthy and up again.

"- pushed around, by closed-minded bigots like you! I can't see why such a great man is related to you!"

Adam's voice was louder now, as Camellia reared back for another verbal barrage, Eve sighing a little and rubbing her temples.

"Adam, sit your bullish ass down. That shouting is making Arc uncomfortable, and I don't think he needs to have a headache thanks to your prattling."

Adam obeyed without a single hesitation, his mouth shut, but his glare still remaining. It was amusing to see that his sister had cut off as well, as Eve Taurus was given a serious glare, the gaze enough to burn through a wall or something with its intensity. His sister hadn't fully gotten over the fact that she'd been dumped and had to undergo an abortion. He remembered her smile when it'd been like that, but now…

' _I feel bad for you, sis.'_

The soup was great though, not as warm as it usually was, but definitely something that added a little bit of flavour to his day. It wasn't something that he had often, as mom often had bought something silly that was unnecessary.

"How's money?"

His mother's smile was as he had expected it. They were flat broke again, the somewhat hesitant smile not making him be filled with extreme confidence about their finances. It was his mother's worst flaw, the worst one that he could attribute to her at least.

"A little tight, but we'll make it this month. You being in the hospital isn't good, and I just had to buy some candles, they're supposed to make you feel better."

Said candles were put on the side of the bed, unlit, thankfully, and he could smell the herbal scent, Eve giving his mother a look, before she spoke up.

"We're, eh… Here to protect him. Putting those next to him won't exactly, y'know… _work."_

' _I have no idea what you're talking about.'_

Camellia turned to Eve with an angry glare, who gave an apologetic smile.

"They're like catnip for Faunus. They've got something in it that'll turn pussies on for a mile or something, and big boy over here doesn't need that right now. We're here to prevent that from happening."

His sister's angry tirade of 'Animals and their instincts' was cut in half by the door opening, her sister shutting up immediately. Professor Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch and Amber appeared, polite smiles on their face. Professor Goodwitch gave him a stern look, the disciplinarian in her already working overtime undoubtedly for this brief visit.

"I am glad that you are well, Mister Arc. You gave us quite a fright in the morning when we heard of the unfortunate happenings."

The Headmaster of Beacon spoke up, his hands resting on his cane. The look that rested on his face was even, as his fingers tapped a small rhythm on the cane.

"S'rry. 'll try n't to g't hit ag'n."

It hurt a damn lot, apparently. It was fuzzy, and he wasn't going to be doing that again. The man's expression was modest and unassuming at many moments, but there was a faint smile that curled on his lips, showing the warm heart that he gave to the people.

"I would hope that you do not. The doctors have briefed me that you may regain motion in your body again with time and rest. You will be able to pick up your studies again around the Vytal Festival's start, if you can manage it."

The man's tone was formal, but he sounded a little regretful, the news that he'd not be able to be fit to participate hitting him. His feeling of wanting to get better came, as he felt his body ache some more.

"Mister Arc, on behalf of Beacon Academy, we are here to wish you a swift recovery. It would be a shame to miss such a good prospect from our student body."

The woman must have said that a few times before, but her eyes spoke a different story. He reminded himself that this was the woman who had an ongoing feud with Amber, undoubtedly about the way that things had happened between the two of them.

"Get well soon! Gee Gee would miss you if you don't pop up to give her dusty classroom a fresh coating of paint! We need our handyman back at Beacon!"

Glynda Goodwitch was a woman who excelled in self-control, her smile as friendly as it ever was, but her eyes speaking things of horror and annoyance for Amber. The woman would never go so far as to kill the Fall Maiden, but some back and forth between the two would definitely be something that would happen.

The cool look on her face definitely was a level 9 on the scale of ten of frosty looks.

"I am sure that he will be back soon, Miss Autumn. After all, he will need to bring out the trash."

The headmaster's expression was complaining, his eyes looking apologetically at Jaune's mother.

"Things are a little tense, with the Vytal festival upcoming. Mister Arc's situation adds a little more stress to the faculty. He is quite well-liked amongst the student body."

Amber nodded, but remained silent. The headmaster continued with a small little speech about how one shouldn't let tragedy and unfortunate weather events hurt one's chances to become a Huntsman, to strive beyond the impossible and to make the world a better place.

It was a rote and used speech that the man undoubtedly had spoken many times in his life, either as someone who taught or someone who was a Huntsman, dealing with traumatized citizens. Jaune sighed a little, knowing that the last word hadn't been said yet about the circumstances in which he'd found himself.

' _Sometimes, I wish it was easy.'_

The Beacon delegation left without another word, leaving him to muse on their presence for a while, the conversation/argument/verbal brawl between Adam and Camellia turning louder once more, as arguments for either side were brought, none of them willing to budge an inch.

' _This is annoying…'_

"Can th'y sh't up?"

He asked his mother, Eve snapping her fingers.

"Adam, go take a hike. Pretty bed-boy here is getting a headache with your constant quibbling. If you want to argue about this and that, go do it elsewhere! Go fetch a bun or something for me. Beef, you know how I like it."

His mother fixed Camellia with a look that told her to beat it. His older sister left, and his mother gave an apologetic smile.

"She's not always like this, I promise. She has some sensitivity towards the Faunus, she was in a bad relationship that didn't really… go that well."

Eve gave a soft humming sound in understanding, giving him a look.

"Think you could get him some fizzy drink? Here's twenty Lien, get him something nice and sugary. Perks a guy right up, take it from me."

His mother was easily distracted with a simple errand, a fact that was also as constant as her spending. He loved his mother, but she was sadly someone who didn't really care much for money.

' _It's lucky that dad was the one who was clear on the medicinal angle…'_

Eve got up as his mother left the room, her hands removing the candles from his side and putting them at the bag that his mother had left, her eyes looking at him with a pitying look.

"Soooo… Hi. I'm the night nurse, and I'm here to guard your body against man-stealing Faunus."

' _I really don't want to know.'_

Eve seemed to be in a good mood, as her hand brushed over his cheek, his eyes a little peeved as they looked up at her.

"Now, don't you glare at me, hot stuff. I could just hop on you and ride you for a bit, to get what I need to _win_. We Faunus do things differently, and well, sometimes a human guy doesn't quite get what we mean. Fair, of course. These babies aren't award-winning for nothing. Now, we need to _talk_ about Mouthy Mc-sister."

He was sure that Camellia wouldn't like being called 'Mouthy Mc-sister', but since she wasn't here yet, he tried to shrug, finding that he couldn't.

"So, what's _her_ deal? She's passionate about it, but not to the point where you'd go 'fuck this shit' and beat her senseless. Adam's a bit of a numbskull with that kind of stuff, but I actually _graduated_ human studies unlike him. Sienna did too, a few years before us, I _think._ So… Bad boyfriend, beating her into the hospital and stuff, making her dislike Faunus?"

He was pretty sure that Camellia would be angry with him for saying it so brusquely, but he closed his eyes.

"Ran off. H'd to 'bort baby."

Eve's face looked unpleasant to look at, her eyes looking at his own, her fist balling, as she bit her lower lip, her tongue sliding over her lips.

"Well, that explains a bit… Fuck, that must've been one asshole. Shit, Sienna's not going to like that. Pretty taboo for us to even say the A-word. I mean, I'll _do_ it in a scene, but personally? Na-ah. I'm keeping my babies, and you'll get first buck."

' _I really don't know what that means, but I am just going to nod and think that it's something like a hug. The alternative just brings me to-'_

"Now _that_ is a compliment, Jaune. A girl likes to see her man get all stiff for her. But yeah, does the jerk-bag have a name? I'd like to pay him a visit. Bring a few friends. Sienna's not gonna be happy."

' _Didn't she call him Arial? I don't really remember well, but he had one of those feather-tails…'_

"Ar'ial? He h'd feather, on tai'l."

It was hard to speak, Eve mumbling something under her breath about it being some sort of puzzle… before she laid a hand on his hand and squeezed.

"Yeah, we're gonna get that birdy. Not many of those around with a dick, but this one needs it removed. You don't fuck a girl and leave her pregnant, that's just very bad form. Humans especially, we have to take precautions, which means that he didn't…"

Eve looked quite a bit like Adam did, as she looked at him, a toothy little smile given for a moment.

"We'll get that asshole and hang him outside from a lamp-post in front of your mom's house or something. We don't really take _kindly_ to that stuff, there are too many people dying already, and the a-word is taboo. I can't even imagine it, y'know? Doing that to-"

Disgust, something vile and wicked on the early-twenties woman's face, flickered. There was something deeply lonely in her eyes as she spoke, wistfulness in her tone.

"Porn is nice and all that, but yeah… I want a big family. Four-five kids, nice man, _currently_ laid up in the hospital after being a moron who got lightning-striked with Faunus Devil. Sienna's not happy with that. _I'm_ not happy with that. Don't do stuff like that, it made me upset."

He gave her a look, her finger touching his lips, shaking her head, her other hand brushing through the hair on her head.

"Ah- Don't you dare go and make excuses. Natural causes is a thing, but I'm not buying four lightning strikes. Sure, you had that umbrella, but that just isn't normal with your sacrificing ass around. I know what and who you hang with, Jaune."

' _Yes, with you, Sienna and Willow. A regular lineup of criminals.'_

He wasn't going to admit it aloud, of course. He would never admit to having orchestrated it, and Eve's eyes looked at him with something that cared. She sighed and shook her head.

"Damn it, sometimes I _wish_ I'd had a bit more confidence."

' _What?'_

She got up and stretched, looking down at him, her hands gripping the covers and then pulling them down for a moment. He shuddered, as her eyes looked down at his groin.

"Good, good."

' _What the hell is it with Faunus and inspecting my junk?'_

This was some sort of unwritten rule or something, Eve getting him back to some state of being modest, her fingers tucking him in properly and making sure to grab his hand.

"Wh't is with th't?"

His voice was pained as he spoke, Eve giving a small smile and brushing a hand over his cheek. She looked like she was going to be bringing it to his lips, but stopped half-way.

"You wouldn't _understand._ You don't have the additional senses that we do. Sienna is… Hmm, how do I put it?"

She looked thoughtful, as if some huge sacrifice was in front of her, the look on her face barely changing from that expression of thoughtfulness, her finger toying over his cheek slowly.

"There's a certain… y'know, _thing._ It's natural, but you don't forget it once you've got it. Strength, something like that. Sienna was actually one of the most eligible bachelors of our people, y'know? Then, you came around, all blonde and sexy. Defeating that many Faunus in a Pogrom as a _human…_ Yeah, that sends people thinking about you not being all bad. Khan made her claim, at least she did, but she didn't follow through."

The amusement in her eyes was there, with how Eve's eyes lit up with that faint hint of malevolence that Adam could have at times as well. The man had been somewhat of a flakey fellow before he had gotten medicated, and it was much better now with him.

"All alone in the bed, with a fertile Faunus woman… I could just get on you and you'd not be able to do a thing. Many _would_. Khan didn't commit fully, mainly due to her position. It would be untenable, and she is what the Faunus _need._ A strong leader, unbending in her resolve, someone who needs a man who is her equal."

The look in her eyes was soft, as she shook her head, giving a look of distaste at him, her sharp gaze meeting his own as she looked down at his body.

" _Not_ a man who lies in a bed, weak and wasted after his great deed. That is not the man that she deserves. That is not the man _I_ deserve."

Her head filled his vision as he felt her grab a hold of his head and a kiss was pressed onto his lips, the taste of peppermint and cinnamon on his lips, as she held that kiss for a while, her scent strong, something perfumed that he didn't know yet fully what it was.

She pulled away, looking into his eyes with angry ones, something defiant in her gaze, something that railed against the fate that she had been dealt by being born a sister to Adam Taurus, a Faunus, something bull-headed and strong.

The Glyph appeared in front of him, pulsating a little, as he felt how something seemed to work. Warmth blossomed in his throat, as the connection formed and then suddenly broke, the Aura shattering, as some more sensation returned to his body. The Glyph faded out of existence as he felt exhausted, knowing that he'd just flexed his Aura.

' _It worked… just a bit.'_

His hand twitched, as he cleared his throat. He knew that speaking hurt, that he was not ready to fully speak yet, but there was just this hope in his heart to try it.

"Why?"

His voice was smoother than before, as he felt his fingers twitch, feeling some semblance of control return to his body. He felt the weight of his hand and then a sharp pain.

' _Not ready yet… But at least I can talk.'_

"It's simple. You would never understand it, but we do. It's what we _do_. The strongest, the best, the aptest at gathering. It's an urge, a craving…"

She shivered, her smile turning sorrowful, her breathing a little deeper.

"It's _hard_ , you know? That urge telling me that you are yet fully unclaimed and uncommitted, that there is still something that prevents you from tying yourself to Sienna. Marriage between humans is the deciding factor, as agreed in the agreement, but…"

There was passion in those eyes, as he felt her lips against his own in a kiss, a soft shudder going through her body, as her tongue explored his mouth, his own tongue meeting hers, the door opening again. Eve jerked herself up, adjusting the hospital sheets a little, his mother joining them, a fresh bottle of soda in her hand.

"They didn't have your favourite, so I walked a little further. Is everything alright, Miss Taurus?"

Eve looked a little flustered, her cheeks a little red, her gaze turned away, a clearing of her throat in embarrassment.

"Yes, I'd… I'd say that things are okay, yes. My brother hasn't been too much of a bother to your daughter, has he?"

' _If you give Camellia an hour to speak, she'll make it half a day.'_

His mother's smile was warm and understanding.

"They are debating the merits of the Menagerie Land Distribution, or something. It's been a while since I saw her this irritated. Did your brother go to school for history, or is it more of a White Fang thing? I'm sorry, I'm not very aware of these things. Do you want to drink some soda, Jaune?"

He tried to nod, but found that his head remained stubborn, a smile on his lips, mouthing a 'yes'.

The fresh soda was a delight to his throat, as he exhaled softly, Eve starting to tell about her younger brother and his interests. His mother paid attention, as she made him drink as much as he could. It was gone quicker than he'd expected, his throat feeling nice and cool.

"He sounds a little… extreme."

Eve smiled as much as she could, her fingers arranging the jacket a little. He could see her mammaries trying to escape from the top a little.

 _"Bipolar._ It's something that he's getting medication for. I'm lucky that I don't have it."

His mother gave a pitying look, and Jaune wondered why Eve didn't have it, or at least, said that she didn't have it.

"Did you ever get tested?"

She looked at him as he asked, his mother smiling at him. Eve gave one of those full-teeth smiles. It made her look a little more dangerous than before.

"That sounds a lot better!"

He didn't know, really. Speaking felt a lot easier now that his throat didn't feel like he was trying to gargle barbed wire dust shards.

"Before you get into the business that I do, you get tested for all sorts of things. Acting is something that has to meet certain criteria, and people get unnerved if you're frothing at the mouth."

She was being polite to his mother, who looked excitedly at her like there'd be some new gossip to share. It was one of his mother's flaws.

"You're an actress and a bodyguard? Oh, did you star in any shows? Maybe a small soap?"

Eve's smile promised little good, as she patted his shoulder encouragingly.

"We'll be starring in something _better,_ if you don't mind me saying it so bluntly. Your boy's going to be in a production once he's able to walk again!"

His mother was excited, and he realized that he'd said yes a few months before. Her eagerness would probably spread the news that her baby boy was in a production or something.

' _I hope that she doesn't ask what it's all about.'_

Eve's toothy smile didn't hide anything nefarious at all, being nefarious in looks. The door opened and Salmon strode in, Jaune's eyes catching sight of the exasperated look on her face.

"Camellia's spitting fire at some ginger dude with horns… Mom, can you go and- Ohmigosh, you're _Eve Taurus!"_

' _What?'_

Eve looked a little taken aback by actually being recognized, his mother giving a soft smile as she got up.

"I'll go and see whether Camellia would like to get something to eat. Miss Taurus was just telling me about her acting job, and she said that Jaune is going to be in one of her works together with her! How exciting!"

Salmon's face showed her indecision, as she looked between Eve and him, before she gave her 'I am going to lie through my teeth' smile.

"Let's not get too far ahead, Mom. He's got to get better first, and we can just see how that goes."

His mother left to go spring Adam free from his sister's furious tirade, undoubtedly inspired by what he'd put as a counterpoint. He'd have to get used to the quibbling. At least it wasn't like Camellia was actually trying to get the Emancipation Proclamation revoked for the Faunus, like those friends of hers had tried to do. She might believe in anti-Faunus stuff, but his sister wasn't crazy enough to do that.

' _Or is she?'_

The loss of her child had not made her feel great, needing Saphron to cheer her up again, a changed Camellia returning from their trip. She'd started to hang around a crowd that was anti-Faunus, going to rallies against the White Fang's violence. It'd only been when he'd started to meet regularly with Sienna that he'd noticed the symbols, but had been oblivious to the things.

' _Ouch…'_

"Sooo… _Porn?"_

He gave his sister a look, pouting a little. Salmon teased him a little with a finger, before her eyes turned to Eve.

"I _loved_ your work in the AFA's. You definitely earned that sculpture for your acting."

' _I really don't know whether I should inquire.'_

Eve's small smile was there, as she looked at him and the grin increased in size.

"Hmhmm… Big boy here's going to be on the screen with me. Some of his friends will be making their debut. We're still working on a title, but I know for sure that it'll have some reverse gangbang stuff. Big boy can consider a career with the meat bludgeon that he's got down there."

Salmon looked at him, and then she grimaced. It had hit her at that point that he'd likely be in a porno, her smile resuming once more. Eve's last part of the sentence seemed to have been blanked out, in order to save his sister's sanity... he hoped.

' _It's weird enough that you know who she is…'_

"Sooo… No naughty nurse scene?"

Eve grimaced at the thought.

"No. I'm going to _behave._ Boss lady said that she'd shove my uterus through my throat if I did something to him. You don't mess with Sienna Khan when she's holding someone by the leg and is using him as a club."

Salmon nodded at that. A wise thought too, because Sienna could be a serious handful when she was in an annoying mood. Sienna, if she was in the mood to be annoying, could just drain your patience and make you want to fuck her into the mattress.

' _I still haven't forgiven her for that toy.'_

Sienna was a little bit like that girlfriend that always tested you and wanted to be called on her bluff. Willow was more matured in her manner of approach, and in a different way sensual. He hadn't seen her since the trip to the spa, but he knew that when she appeared, she'd bring with her the best game that she had.

He dreaded that a little, knowing that Sienna was nothing if not effective in getting him riled up as well, but she was by far the more aggressive of the pair. Yang was a tame kitten in comparison, and he had to admit… She wasn't too shabby either.

' _And then there are Willow's daughters…'_

He'd prefer to avoid those. Winter was uncomfortable to think about, even with how her sexuality worked. It wasn't something that he would keep against her, but there were limits.

' _If I were to marry Willow…'_

It would piss Winter off, if anything. It'd piss her off and make her undoubtedly get another weird smutty thought in her mind.

 _'Atlesian Specialists must not go out much...'_

Adam joined them again, grumbling something about 'stupid humans', his face looking annoyed by the discussion that he'd been a party to. He looked serious, even with the makeup on, his eyes looking at Eve as he sniffed the air.

"Your sister is annoying."

' _Yeah, I gathered that.'_

There was definitely going to be bloodshed between his sister and Adam if they were left alone with each other, he reckoned. He could already see Camellia and her friends of the… whatever they called them Liga, gathering, about to lynch Adam for being a Faunus. She'd been really outspoken about the Faunus after the breakup...

' _Yeah, I hope nothing happens…'_

"I could see that… Sorry about that, Adam."

There was a look in his eyes, something that reminded him of the darker Adam that he'd met, all those months ago. He really hoped that Adam wouldn't slide back into that kind of behaviour.

"She's a _bitch._ She doesn't know what she's talking about."

' _Damn… Hate at first sight.'_

He heard Eve sigh and mumble something about annoying bastards.

This was off to a _great_ start already…

' _Can't we all just get along?'_

* * *

 **Faunus: Weird, in Jaune's eyes. It all makes perfect sense to the Faunus. You all get to see some of the culture of the Faunus! Willow's popping up again in the next chapter!**

 **Leave a review if you'd like to!**


	47. Derriere

**Chapter 47: Derriere**

 **Well… Some more Faunus-Human relations for you all!**

* * *

Willow let her fingers slide through her hair as she pulled the jacket a little closer, the leather not being quite her style, but with how familiar people had gotten with her features, it was still something that people would notice. Done up in a looser style and making sure to wear the 'hip' dark blue top, she could pass for a twenty-something-year-old, definitely in the later

Olav was behind her, wearing a simple shirt that did nothing to hide his burly physique from sight. The two Faunus who stood guarding the door gave them a serious look over, the burlier one looking like he meant business as he got in front of the door.

"No access allowed for visitors, the patient's not seeing anyone."

She cleared her throat and spoke up in her lightest and most melodic voice, trying to mimic Sienna's way of saying it, without the childish accent and failing, quite miserably at it.

"I tawt I taw a puddy tat?"

The passphrase had been said to grant her access, and the men parted. It was two in the morning, and the two looked like they needed sleep. They were resolute looking men though, so there was something that nagged her mind as they stepped aside without a sound of objecting to her passing through made by either, her bodyguard following after her. When she stepped into the room which held the young man that meant so much, she let her gaze go to the bed worriedly.

' _So pale…'_

She watched the redhead shift a little, the man's eyes tired-looking and his facial features worn out from a lack of sleep, his hand on his sword from where he'd taken a moment to rest, his sister nowhere to be seen. Her gaze returned to Jaune, as he laid there.

"Has he been well, Mister Taurus?"

Politeness was always an option, as she saw the scars on Jaune's body, a webbing of them slowly moving from the point of impact. It looked almost like a snowflake, and she could see how it would add character to him.

"Pretty well in spirit, he can talk properly again. No movement with his muscles though. A few twitches, some quivers, but it tires him out."

Willow could see the beautiful man on the bed sleep, her hand tracing over his cheek. He smiled in his sleep, her eyes looking at that cute face that looked innocent, even with his body ravaged by the lightning bolts that'd struck him 'in a tragic accident'. Her husband had been lit ablaze.

' _You killed my husband.'_

It wasn't just gratitude that she felt, but _more_ than that. Her fingers traced over his skin, feeling the muscles twitch a few times below her touch, the familiar shapes moving, as Adam Taurus got up.

"Do you want me to leave you alone with him for a moment? I'll get Eve, she's passed out in one of the rooms here for guests that stay over."

It might be time for that, yes, as she looked at the body of the young man she loved, the man who she'd felt strongly for over such a short period of her life, and yet so wholesome in that love. The door clicked, and she started to speak.

"I am _quite_ upset with you, Mister Arc. Do you know how much effort it is to run a company by _myself?"_

She didn't really feel like it was much of a scolding, after all, knowing that Jaune was caring and loving and wonderful with her children. Winter and Weiss both wished to bed him, and Whitley was… definitely impressed. She'd caught him rearranging the schedule for a visit when Jaune was awake again.

' _You sacrificed yourself so that we could be free, even if it'd killed you.'_

She knew that such a sacrifice could only mean love. Sienna had been in a state, growling about how dangerous it had been and then thirty seconds later switching to how proud she was for having netted such a wonderful man. Some Faunus things just didn't make sense to her, but it was how things were.

"Your costs will be paid for by both the White Fang as well as the Schnee Dust Company. It is the least we can do for someone who was unfortunately struck by the tempests of fate, and one of our new and upcoming signees."

You never knew who was listening in on you, whenever you spoke. You had to maintain integrity, security and allow nothing to impede you to the top, before you declared whatever you wished to declare and you seized power.

' _My sweet Jaune…'_

Her fingers traced over his bare chest, over the bandages that had been pushed and pulled apart to insert intravenous drips for the body to be recovering faster. She wasn't a medical woman, she was more of an economist, but he would need to recover. He would need to be _better_.

Her head lowered as she gave a kiss to his lips, tasting the faint glazing of lipstick upon it, one flavour that she didn't quite know where it came from. Her fingers touched his hair, brushing through the loose strands, her lips pressing tighter to his face, as she inhaled that scent of his, mixing with medical bandages. A soft gasp came from her lips as she broke the kiss, her fingers tracing down over his cheek, stubble growing there already.

"I must be off, Mister Arc. You will see my daughter again in the morning, if you are fortunate."

' _It is a shame, but you don't manage a business by being a weak housewife waiting for her husband to do with everything. The only thing that Jacques did which was respect-worthy was to be able to manage the Kingdom's needs and the export of Dust to the different ones…'_

The door opened and the two Taurus siblings appeared, the woman sitting herself down at the seat next to the bed. A coy smile played on the Faunus her lips as Willow felt a pinch to her butt, her head giving a stern frown at the woman, who retracted her hand slowly, intentionally.

"Don't worry, we'll keep him safe. Adam's not going to be bringing shame to the man who-"

The sharp look that she got from her brother was worthy of minor interest, as Willow noticed the look that'd been shared, the brother's expression turning a little grim and dark at the thought.

"Eve… You've reminded me _ten_ times already. "

The Faunus woman rolled her shoulders in a mild shrug. Willow had to wonder whether it was just a normal gesture or whether it held a different meaning. Sienna had once said something about 'signalling' but that probably wasn't the case here.

"Then do it, you silly little steer. I'm not going to be holding your hand all the way. You owe him. _We_ owe him."

There was something unsaid between the two of them that she didn't get, but the woman was hinting at something. She motioned for Olav to hold open the door and then, after bidding the two goodbye, left. It was a short visit, perhaps only five minutes, but she'd seen the man who had committed murder and sacrificed his health for her happiness.

It was an odd feeling inside her as she sat down in the car, the darkened windows hiding her expression from the world as she sipped a glass of fruit juice, the clock ticking away slowly. Her daughters were freed from the oppression of her late husband, she was free from the ties that bound her, but she had only settled with a short visit

' _He'll get better.'_

He had to get better, or she'd simply have to _make_ him get better. She was someone who wished to show him the glory of the body that was hers, to bring him the happiness that she felt from his actions, but it was not the time for that yet. She wanted him to be able to move, to reciprocate. Seeing him lying there in that bed was like a hissing snap of reality, of that feeling that she could do nothing for him now except wait and she prayed quietly to the brother gods for a miracle to restore him to a fit form soon.

' _If someone deserves it…'_

She would have to do some more checking of the options, if his nervous system kept him paralyzed. He seemed to be able to do small twitches, but Willow Schnee was not a woman who wished to _wait_ for a revalidation process.

' _I will see whether the Schnee Dust Company's research and development branch has something…'_

Sienna was the one who was sated with what she had, but Willow Schnee had standards that she would not break away from. He deserved to stand at her side, glass of something to drink in hand, his hand on her pregnant stomach and Sienna strutting off to the liquor bar, and it would be something wonderful for the world.

She arrived at her lodgings and laid herself down into bed, calling the number in her Scroll immediately. Sienna was up, undoubtedly. That woman had a work ethic that was only matched by her thirst for the liquor and the man that they both enjoyed the presence of.

"Sienna."

The answer was a rough sound, the camera turned on to show a tired-looking Sienna, half of a bottle emptied already, papers scattered onto a board with 'Prognosis' and 'executive function' visible on it with a bold red ink stamp.

"What do you want, Wil? I'm busy with the whole bloody organization of things, but I could take some- Yeah, I'm taking a break. Spooky! Get my files from the archives with the Mistral situation. I need to look through them."

Someone left the room and there was quiet, as Willow looked at Sienna drinking straight from the bottle, the woman's hand putting it down onto the table out of sight, the Scroll adjusted a little as it was picked up from the standard in which it was kept.

"I went to visit him."

There was a pause as Sienna looked at her, a cocky little smirk on her lips, one of those infuriating 'I know you did something, you sneaky little bitch' looks that Sienna seemed to have perfected over the course of her tenure as High Leader.

"Did you get frisky? Ooh, I bet he'll be smelling like your perfume, naughty, naughty, naughty!"

The little finger wag that the younger woman gave her was improper, impolite and the look that Willow returned to her friend was not very polite either, as Sienna sighed, taking another gulp of liquor.

"I guess not. Don't worry, I'll make up for that. I should have a free spot around…"

Sienna thumbed through her calendar, the physical one on her desk. Willow frowned as well. Busy days. It was hard on Willow as well, being the CEO for the biggest company on Remnant in Dust manufacture and production.

"Damn, we're busy bitches, aren't we? How about we go for a drink and something else for you? Call it a business meeting, have a bit of fun, talk about how we're going to be ravishing blonde and beautiful?"

She was not going to be doing the latter until he was healthy. Sienna was someone who thought less on the possible ramifications of things, but Willow wanted him _aware_. Her heart burned at the missed opportunity, but it was not a thing that she could stop. She had been married, as he'd been in bed with her. She had been proper, as a mother should, even though she really wished that she wasn't proper.

"No. I haven't even met his family yet."

Sienna blinked owlishly for a moment, and Willow seemed to think about that for a moment, analyzing that reaction. Sienna must not have known that bit of human interaction, or had forgotten about it. With how busy their lives were, their interactions with the man they loved had grown sparser.

"Oh yeah, one of those sisters is kind of involved with the Humanity First Liga… Heard of that from Tweety, had a big argument with Adam about it… Guess we'll be seeing those pop up now that our man's in the hospital with his big sister being a card-carrying member…

' _This is going to be annoying for her, I guess…'_

Willow did not think much of it, as she inquired some more about the family of the man that they loved, Sienna's mumbling about annoying brats and bulls being too damn stubborn for their own fucking good trailing off.

It was three in the morning when she shut the call off and crawled into her bed, leaving the feeling of the day behind as she let her body rest until the alarm clock would go at seven thirty-five, which gave her enough time to crawl under the shower and get herself freshened up for another day of harsh labour in the Schnee Dust Company's executive office.

* * *

Jaune awoke slowly in the morning to the sound of someone humming. He let his gaze slide to the side, aware that he had guests. Adam was passed out on the seats, stretched out like some sort of shadow, his blade in his grip still, loosely. Eve was looking at him, humming softly as she worked her fingers over the weapon that she used to fight with, her eyes looking up at him and meeting his.

"Good morning, sleepyhead. You had a visitor last night. The other one."

A little bit of playful mentioning of Willow's name, since it might be a touch improper to do so, and he tried to raise his hand again. His fingers twitched and quivered, and the muscles strained, trying to pull himself up. Glyphs pulsed over his body and he felt their effects on him, slowly pushing his hand up, before it fell down again, the strength gone, as well as his Aura.

"No… eh, bad things happen?"

She shook her head, setting the weapon down next to his bed. She didn't make much of a sound as she got to the chair and started to comb his hair.

"No. Tweety and Sylvester are keeping out the people. They've both got their skills, of course. So… How're you feeling?"

She was concerned, as her hand brushed over his cheek gently. Being an actress without work right now (She had said that she was taking a sabbatical), she was free to be at his side without any sort of distractions coming to her.

"Like crap, honestly. I'd like to get something to eat though, I'm pretty hungry."

Eve got up and he watched as she lingered a little at the foot of the bed, before she kicked Adam.

"Wake the fuck up, Adam. I'm bringing Jaune breakfast, and you're going to be made into Carpaccio if I see some whore on his dick when I return. Sienna will grill you like roast beef when she hears afterwards."

Adam shifted a little as he got up, rolling his shoulders a little to get the stiffness out of them, his eyes meeting Jaune's own for a moment, as he took to standing at the foot of the bed, his hand on his sword. He was alert, ready to go and defend him.

"So, I've…"

The words obviously made Adam feel uncomfortable as he looked around, a little nervous. The calm veneer of the man's face, the makeup that covered the scar on his face still showing the outline, as the man hadn't retouched it again today yet.

"I have a confession to make."

That was new. He looked at Adam expectantly, trying for a smile to put the man at ease, a frown going over the older Faunus man's face.

"Not that it's… Eve _can_ do that. I'm just…"

Adam seemed to have problems expressing himself, as Jaune wondered what it was that the man would be talking about that seemed to make him embarrassed.

"When a Faunus is under a certain… if we are in a particularly tense situation, there are certain… _demands."_

A gesture with the hand that he didn't get at all, as Adam looked up to the ceiling, clearly not happy with explaining it like this. The man looked uncomfortable, uneasy and not at all ready to speak on the topic that he was cutting into.

"Is it something that I can help with?"

Adam flinched as if struck, as he bit his lower lip, his eyes looking away, his face showing irritation.

"Sienna probably forgot, with how busy she is, but I didn't. Eve _doesn't_ , and I want you to know that I am… _grateful_. For what you did with… With _her_."

Jaune thought back to Adam's latest ex, who probably was in jail right now. That had been a bad situation, and it'd been a sign of things to come. Eve and Adam had done things with that woman together, and he guessed that it was the Faunus-ly type of bonding or something. Sienna often said 'that's normal' and didn't explain things.

It was why he'd been trying to sound out Eve about some of the things, which was only successful a few times. There were things that Sienna did that Eve somehow couldn't talk about, due to the status that Sienna held, or some other reason.

"For saving you from your girlfriend? Adam, you're a _friend_. I'd hate myself if you suffered more and I could have helped out but didn't because I didn't see the signs."

Adam still wasn't looking at him, as he sighed deeply at something, making another hand gesture, closing his eyes and shaking, turning away from him.

"That's… You don't know, Jaune. You're a human, you're _not_ like us. There's…"

The man made little sense, as he rolled his shoulders.

"Eve is doing _her_ part, and she's… She's _in_ the fight. I've _not_ been doing _my_ part. I'm- By the _Gods_ , this is hard to say."

The man turned around again and leaned against the foot of the bed, hands on the bed's metal railing, the intense blue eyes serious. The door was opening, but the man didn't give it much attention. He spotted his family entering, mother first in, Camellia behind her, eyes flaring up angrily.

"I will have sex with you, even as you are now. Even if you lie limply in bed and cannot muster the effort to move, I will-"

There was an indeterminate screech of anger and something more and Adam went down with a frothing-at-the-mouth Camellia having leapt at him. Adam laid on the ground as Camellia laid into him, her blonde hair whipping as she kept on punching him, before the stronger man pushed her off, Camellia trying to smack him. Those curses definitely hadn't been _kind_ , and he didn't really wonder about what 'the cattle treatment' was.

"Hey, hol' up! Stop pounding beef steer into a burger patty! That's _my_ job, Feisty!"

Eve handed the tray with food to his mother and then lifted up Camellia, whose mouth most definitely was using swear words now that were definitely not in the standard dictionary. Adam rose, bloodied nose and one of his eyes looking like it'd swell up later, his hand rubbing at his nose with irritation.

"He wanted to rape my brother! Let me go, you big-titted cockhole! Your fucking brother wanted to fuck my defenceless little brother!"

Eve held a very strong grip on Camellia, as Adam shook his head, picking his blade up again, a sour look given at Camellia, but nothing more than that being said.

' _What in the name of the Gods was that?'_

" _Timing_ , Adam. _Timing_. Now, calm down. My little brother isn't going to be giving _yours_ a prostate exam, I'm still the boss bitch in our relationship."

He watched as his sister struggled some more, more curses coming from her lips as the Faunus-based insults started to fly, 'barnyard beasts' being mentioned more often than not. His mother inquired quietly, dismissing the events that'd just happened as 'not her problem', holding the tray out to him.

"Do you want me to feed you?"

Camellia seemed to be still getting ready to go on another tirade, and he sighed. Adam just sat down, rubbing his face in places, as Camellia wrenched herself out of the grip of Eve Taurus and turned to the door.

"I'll be back, mom."

He wondered what was up with that, but didn't dwell too much on it, his eyes watching carefully how the others just sat down. Salmon was getting comfortable in her seat, Coral sitting down in a seat whilst giving Adam a worried look, as if she was afraid that he was going to leap at her, the dark blonde hair, much like Saphron's own mop in shading today, half-pulled over an eye, the dark orange-green shirt with 'Vale Patriots' on it easily showing her affiliation to the local team.

"So… That was… _interesting_. I did not- Not that I am judging, Mister Taurus, but- Perhaps you could declare your affections for my son when my daughter is not around?"

His mother's voice just made Adam's head sink into his hand and a deeply frustrated groan came from his mouth as Eve started to laugh with some sort of amusement gained from the way that his mother had politely phrased it.

"It's something that a human wouldn't understand."

The answer from Adam was short and snappy, and the man rubbed his face, clearly not very great after his sister had given him a beating. Camellia wasn't very physical, but she seemed to have had a bit of strength if Adam wasn't looking so hot right now.

"Ah… Yes, you have your own culture. Now, Eve, has my son been good?"

' _Mom…'_

Eve smiled broadly, as she started to go into detail about how he'd barely moved, how it was just like being the babysitter (and not dropping a single line of reference to her career) and making sure that he was fed.

Of course, his mother was feeding him whilst she stood at his bedside, and he was sure that there would be some more grilling from his sisters later, if they had the chance.

"Saphron will be here tonight. She's taken the flight, and Terra will be joining us too after a week. It's such a shame to see you like this, Jaune. Here, I've bought something…"

The picture frames of him being healthy and strong were _cute_ , he imagined, but he wasn't really in much of a position to object. Salmon and Coral gave apologetic smiles, trying to give him a hint about how things worked and wove together…

Mother had been shopping again.

"Mom, it's not necessary. You should spend money on things that are going to the family."

He worried about that. His mother had the fiscal sensibilities of someone who didn't have them. It was her major flaw, and one that he hadn't been able to properly solve yet, because he was still seventeen. With Vivian taking mission after mission to make the budget even out, their mother's spending on stupid things (in his opinion) would put them in the red.

"But they would look so nice, Jaune. I saw them and I _had_ to buy them! You'll be in bed for a while, and it'll be fine. We have the budget for it."

He glanced at Salmon, who shook her head a few times. His mother was lying, and it'd been another impulse buy. He felt worry go through him.

"We'll make sure that he's safe from any ne'erdowells, Miss Arc. Adam and I are fully licensed bovineguards."

Adam's glare at his older sister was met with a look that did not lose in strength. Jaune sighed, knowing that those two had their own issues to contend with, especially with how there seemed to be some sort of rivalry between the two of them.

"Is there much danger for him?"

Eve and Adam nodded, simultaneously. His mother frowned, as she looked at him.

"But… But he was hit by a lightning strike. Why could people be wanting to hurt him?"

Eve gave a small smile, before she motioned for Adam to leave.

"Well, there's just something about our cute blonde here that attracts a lot of attention. Interviewers, people who want to harm him because the Schnee-E-O got fried together with him…"

It wasn't the truth, he knew, but his mother would probably not really be able to handle the truth that Faunus were after his balls. Adam confessing that he'd not object to sleeping with him was… awkward.

Jaune Arc most certainly was _not_ gay. He preferred a healthy woman, preferably with darker skin than usually was the case, tiger stripes and the name of Sienna, together with as a fellow lady of wonderful love one with pale hair and pale skin and beautiful blue eyes, named Willow.

* * *

"Hello!"

This was new. Camellia had brought some of her friends. A tall brunette woman who wore a black and white shirt with the symbol of the White Fang slashed through and a bloodied axe on it, and a set of black cut-off jeans that frayed at the edges and what seemed to be a set of boots that'd seen better days strolled into the room.

A shorter and _rounder_ , and he _wasn't_ calling her fat, but she _was_ , blue-haired woman who seemed to be wearing a few buttons pinned to her shirt entered immediately afterwards, wearing a skirt and having some tattoos on her neck that made her look rather… _alternative_ , for lack of a better word, stalking over to the tall brunette woman.

A very thin and reedy young man who looked a little out of sorts, a set of thick glasses on and pale blue hair that'd been dyed black in the middle, wearing a little button with 'For my love' and the squat, fat woman having a similar one on her chest.

"Hey. You're Camellia's friends, aren't you?"

The warm smile on the brunette woman's face seemed to be put there as a showpiece, as the short and _round_ woman stomped up to Adam, who looked like he was utterly unimpressed. A torrent of 'darn stinkin' Faunus with them darn freaky-eeky rapist dongers' and other such creative abuse came out of the woman's mouth, whilst her boyfriend was just staring at Eve, whose smug little smile seemed to be more or less taunting the man. His gaze never really reached her face though. Eve should be wearing a shirt with 'My eyes are up there, by the way' on it, because the guy was definitely staring.

' _Ouch, if your girlfriend notices you staring…'_

"Yes, we've heard from sister Arc that you have a little rodent problem."

' _I don't think that it's much of a problem…'_

He was pretty sure that Sienna would whip these people into shape, or into the hospital, if they started to slander her. Sienna's temper and patience were both very short when she was under assault. Willow's patience was a little too much, he reckoned. It balanced out, he supposed.

"Well, Adam and Eve are here to keep me safe."

The brunette gave a smile that didn't really reach her eyes, giving a look at the two Faunus and then dismissing them entirely. The short and _round_ one was still giving a lengthy preaching sermon, and…

' _Well, I suppose I can't say much about having eccentric friends.'_

"You should have _human_ guards. The animals would just do horrible things to you! When Camellia said that the beast wished to fuck you, we immediately came."

Camellia looked somewhat proud at that, but Jaune mentally just counted the seconds, as the boyfriend of the squat one gave a small cough.

"Sister Julep, perhaps…"

The brunette sat down on the seat next to him, crossing her arms and giving a nod that meant business, waving her friends to a seat.

"I'll be taking care of him, brother Negroni. Sister Sazerac, settle down. We must not devolve to the level of animals. Do settle down and be at peace, because the animals do not know better."

Camellia looked at ease around them, even though the language that they busied was a little bit… outlandish. It wasn't really… okay, it was racist. It was really racist, uncouth and not at all suited. Salmon looked a little uncomfortable as well, even though mom and Coral had gone, for the time being, something about 'appointment with doctor Maple', his mother worried for his health. It was really sweet to hear that, of course, but that didn't mean that he didn't worry.

"I don't mind it if you call me Eve, okay? Big boy in the bed can call me his personal little cow cock holster if he'd like, but hey… I'm a pro at what I do."

Julep, though he supposed that it was her surname, given how they'd referred to Camellia as 'Sister Arc' gave a scowl.

"A no-good barnyard animal, working the beat like a whore. When that gilded pussycat of yours is finally arrested for the warmongering terrorist that she is, we'll see who deserves to be representing your kind! You should've just stayed in Menagerie like a good _pet_ for Humanity, animal."

He wondered whether the woman had a different mode, but the look on that face changed as she turned to him, the smile actually quite pretty. It made him wonder whether the whole attitude had been because someone had hurt the woman in the past like with Camellia, or whether it was just something taught due to bad experiences.

"Mint Julep, a friend of your sister's. She's been a member of our Liga for nearly three years."

The smile wasn't too unkind, as it didn't seem to have an actual negative load, unlike how they had acted to the Faunus. He glanced over at Eve, who seemed to be getting herself better situated, her hand never quite leaving her weapon.

"Sister Julep has been my best friend. We ran into each other on the trip Saphron and I went on."

' _Yeah, I guess you can call Adam one of my best friends too…'_

He smiled politely.

"I'm sorry that I can't get up to shake your hand. I'm kind of stuck here."

The woman smiled and Jaune had that feeling that the woman was kind of loopy in the head, even with that smile never quite fixing.

"If you need anything, you have only to ask. We support the families of those who are willing to take up arms against the Faunus infestation. Some of their kind have been infiltrating perfectly good institutions, teaching tolerance and acceptance…"

Adam seemed like he wanted to say something, but kept his peace.

"Hey, I accept everyone. I do porn with humans, y'know?"

' _Yeah, and you're dancing around that theme with my mother like Sienna and I danced at first.'_

A fell glare delivered to Eve, as Mint got up close to her.

"And you won't be getting your hands on this one, you dirty cow! Your brother may be a disgusting ravisher of innocent human bodies-"

Adam choked aloud, getting up and his hand laying on his weapon to challenge that assertion.

"but I will keep him safe! Camellia has been a support to me in times that were harsh, and I will make sure that I guard his humanity! Human sleeps with human, Faunus sleeps with Faunus!"

Salmon looked a little tired, as she got up from her seat. The squat one called Sazerac sat down in the seat that she'd vacated. Her boyfriend, or at least, he guessed that the guy was her boyfriend, just kept on staring.

"I'm going to go and find something to eat."

Camellia glanced at her and pulled out a few Lien.

"Get something for us too."

Salmon smiled and gave a small salute to her sister, Camellia giving a little pout as she did, undoubtedly for some historical reason or something. He wasn't too aware

"Now, don't make Jaune lose his chastity, Cam. Keep our little troublemaker safe."

Jaune personally could have said that his chastity had been lost the moment Sienna had gotten the _'funny'_ idea to test out something, but he'd kept his silence. Whatever he did in the privacy of his own home and bed was still, within the privacy of his own home and bed.

"I'm perfectly capable of making my own decisions, Salmon."

He saw the smile on his sister's face as she departed, before Mint started to talk about the work they did: 'lots of outreach' and 'inspiring the masses to rise up against the Faunus'. Eve just motioned for Adam to get out, choosing to tackle this by herself. Adam did so, begrudgingly.

"You know, it doesn't really _work_ if you keep calling us beasts. I mean, blonde and hunky over there did me a real favour, and that's why I'm here guarding him. We know the value of favours, and well-"

' _That doesn't sound good…'_

Eve got up and then strode over, her red hair brushing against his cheek as she kissed him full on the cheek.

"Faunus _share_ their guy with the family, don't you know? This guy is all mine, yeah."

Camellia got really loud about that, as the friends around her started to add to the chorus of 'despoiling a paragon of humanity', well, the women. Mint, that Sazerac woman who he hadn't caught the first name of and his sister. Eve gave him a smile and a wink, before she kissed him right on the lips.

"Y'see? That's what makes this guy here so wonderful, y'know? He made an impression on me."

Camellia wouldn't get into a brawl here, he knew. With how Eve was leaning onto the bed, one of the wires might get knocked loose and there'd be some people to check up on him. Camellia wasn't really someone who got physical with people until she was ready (though he wasn't really sure whether the 'tackling Adam to the ground' thing was good.).

"You will use those cow udders to seduce more humans into your kind! What use could a walking roast beef taco like you have for a good-looking man like him, huh? He would find himself feeling nothing when he sticks it in that over-used pussy of yours!"

' _Hard words…'_

Eve took it in stride, seemingly, as her hand brushed over his chest. He felt the sensation, even though he couldn't move. Camellia's face went through different expressions.

"Hey… I'll have you know that I've not performed in the last three months, lady. If he wants me to…"

That tongue slid over his cheek, as her breasts pushed against his chest, her fingers brushing over his hand. He tried to grip them and he managed to squeeze a little.

"If he wants me to, I'll do all sorts of stuff for him. Ain't that right, Jaune? Do you want this little slutty cow Faunus to give you a special sponge-bath?"

' _Sienna would probably scream at you if you said that out loud around her, if not make you get into another position with her name scrawled on your ass.'_

She was playing a dangerous game, but that was likely why she'd sent Adam out of the room. He had grown a little quieter since they'd become friends, more even-tempered. It was good that he was on his medication, he knew. Adam felt a lot more stable now that he'd recovered from what his girlfriend had done to him.

"Well…"

He couldn't really lie and say that it'd be something unwanted. Eve wasn't bad-looking at all, and there was a certain appeal…

"If he needs a sponge-bath, I'll do it."

Mint offered and he blinked, as the woman's hand grabbed Eve's and pulled it away. Camellia looked a little caught aback, as if this wasn't exactly behaviour.

"But Mi- What about-?"

The brunette didn't stop, touching his hand. Whilst it was a nice sensation to have his hand grabbed by someone, the woman looked justified in doing so.

"There are nurses for that kind of thing…"

He commented, and Eve sat herself down, pulling her legs up a little and leaning against her weapon.

"Yeah, I've at least got a nice set of udders for that, right? Don't you like these babies, Jaune?"

A slow sway of her upper body, obviously teasing the Julep woman, who started a rant about 'disgusting creature', her hand squeezing his hand painfully, which he hissed at. Camellia looked a little concerned with the tone, the snarling angry tones of Mint only responded to with more teasing. Out of every occupant of the room, only Eve was wielding a weapon in easy grip.

"Oh, no, I don't think I'd do it in a barn… But if he wants to, I'll get piercings through the nipples. Nice little cow like me needs to treat her guy friend extra specially, don't you think?"

There was definitely a change in the woman's attitude, as the hand gestured at Eve with angry motions. Jaune wondered whether having weird friends was something genetic, or whether it was more or less a curse that'd been accidentally picked up.

* * *

Sienna moved like a predator should, her steps lighter than before as she stalked through the streets after getting out of the car, aware of how difficult it was to really move freely when you were in charge of such a large organization.

"Get the door. Come on…"

Of course, she rarely moved alone. Two of the guys moved at her orders, as she pulled the mask over her face, only letting her eyes show. Things were a bit too conspicuous with tattoos, but someone had really violated the rules, enough to make sure that Sienna Khan got a little annoyed about it.

When she was annoyed, she started to want to break things. The door was pushed open and she was in. Her whip flickered, the explosive eruption of the flame Dust in the tip making the guy who'd stood at the door be knocked back, as she took stock.

Six of them, powerful ones, her eyes looking at the plans that'd been scattered. A small board with a single name on it, and small pins. Times, notes on schedules, awareness and activity logs.

' _Cow Twins'_

' _Infiltration'_

' _The Devil-Slayer'_

She growled, as her body moved into action. It was, of course, just her stealing the damn show. The other guys were there to make sure that there would be no interruptions from the outside, the whip lashing around the neck of one of the women, her horns curling back.

Her fist slammed right into the face of the woman, the nose definitely broken. She had held the element of surprise, as the flames of her wrath burned, her whip releasing the neck and then flicking out.

"We have as much right as you do, Khan!"

She didn't comment on that, in motion already to make sure that another throat was silenced. She didn't kill them, of course, but she made sure that they would be hospitalized for a bit. Dismissal from the challenge was by grievous injury… But she stopped at that. Broken legs would heal, eventually.

"Yeah, and I've got _more_ rights than you do, bitches!"

The table was smashed as she slammed through it with someone used as a bludgeon, the woman laying there quietly, passed out from that wrestling move that she'd used before.

"I'm going to win this."

She was going to win this, she was going to fuck her man silly until that smile was a permanent fixture, and she was going to let Willow get her fucks in too as a gift, because the woman hadn't had anything but frozen dick since she'd been married. How the woman had survived with the lack of sex was beyond Sienna's capacity to understand.

Her aura took the hit as someone hit her with a bat, her fingers grabbing the face of the woman and tugging the body closer, her knee slamming into the gut. She'd have to admire their gall for actually planning it out, but she wasn't going to be letting her guy get stolen off by a pair of uppity hoes that thought that they'd be smart trying to steal what Khan had laid a claim on, even if it wasn't formally accepted.

The White Fang needed no leader who was pregnant, nor did it need someone who would be suffering through heavy period bleeding. The body hit the ground a moment later as Sienna turned around, number three and four already having their weapons prepared. Number five… yeah, that one was down for the count.

' _This is the annoying part.'_

Her leg swept and one of them was pulled off-balance before her fingers dug into the eyesockets and she tore. Aura would fix it, she guessed, and otherwise… well, there wasn't a really set rule. She was doing what she _had_ to. Love was a war, or something poetic. She'd heard about that one when she had been a teenager.

Her forehead slammed into the other bitch's and the weapons hit her Aura. It was lucky that she had such a strong Aura, or else she'd have to deal with the whole 'actual bruises' part again. She finished the one off with a punch to the gut. The whip needed space, and she wasn't a weak woman, so…

She stomped down a few times just for good measure, before she looked at the one that she'd poked the eyes in, who was only now starting to regain her wits, if the pain hadn't stopped.

' _Pity about the tail.'_

"Good night."

A kick right to the ovaries ought to calm the woman down a bit. If Kali could get away with dropping half a bottle of rat poison in food, she'd be able to get away with some minor brutalization. Of course, it'd all even out.

' _Don't fucking touch what is mine, bitches.'_

She laid the unconscious and beaten bodies out before whistling loudly. The flunkies came out and took pictures.

"Load em up and drop em at the ER. They're _out_."

It was a brutal task, but someone had to do it. Her eye fell onto a picture of Jaune that'd been obtained, taken from his hospital bed. Some bitch had managed to get close enough for the taking of that picture, so she'd better make certain that her guy was safe…

' _Sometimes, I really wish that humans would understand simple stuff like this. I'd have put nine guards at his door and room if I could… But nooo, 'why does a young man need that many guards?!', well, fuck em!'_

She'd make sure that Jaune had his dick and balls intact and unsoiled by other women! She wanted him to get her more orgasms, damn it, and no matter the namby-pamby regulations and such that went like 'oh, you shouldn't fuck on a hospital bed', she wanted to be filled!

"Taurus."

The Scroll call was short and with a particular amount of vitriol, as she looked at the data that she had on her Scroll during the call, seated in the back of the car. The mask was pulled back down, working pleasantly as a sort of bandanna, but it was all for the benefit of deniability.

Most humans wouldn't give much of a damn whether Faunus beat themselves into the hospital in an informal brawl, but she had to make sure that there was at least something special about those that she gave personally.

Many of the challengers had definite aims to the guy that Sienna Khan herself had declared as her own. Of course, that pregnancy test would not return positive, but that meant that there was an _option_. To Faunus, such things mattered. The propagation of the species. The continuation of the family.

"Hey, Si. The Liga came by. Just as much power and fervour in it as Adam when he wants his baby bottle."

That wasn't unusual, and Sienna could hear a 'Do you need some more tissues?' on the background from someone.

"Adam also kind of… y'know. Did the whole thing with offering his body. I mean, I did it, but he's been tardy. He's currently taking the guard, and well, I was-"

' _It took him NINE WEEKS?! He's lazy. I'd be at Jaune's door in the first day or so if the schedule could allow it. That guy doesn't know gratitude. No wonder Blake ran from a man with such convictions.'_

Adam should've been offering himself as quickly as possible! You didn't turn your back on the guy who saved your skin from some creepy sick human who mutilated your sister! She should just text Adam with a few suggestions.

' _Hmm… I should send him something.'_

A card with 'You lazy bastard' would suffice, probably. It'd be a smack on the wrist, as much as she could make it.

Let it not be said that Sienna Khan was without _mercy_.

She kicked one of the bodies for good measure.

Bitches shouldn't be touching what was Khan's.

* * *

He was most assuredly not comfortable now. Camellia's friends had gone away after twenty minutes of arguing and Camellia had joined them, giving him a little smile and the promise to return soon, Adam returning with a few sandwiches and Salmon carrying a small bag filled with drinks. Eve had taken a moment to get comfortable whilst her brother was busy with giving baleful looks at his sister. Salmon wasn't that bad. Camellia wasn't bad either, she was just opinionated on Faunus matters.

"What was that whole show with teasing my brother all about?"

Salmon asked, Eve giving a look as she grabbed a nail file and started to file them to look somewhat softer.

"It annoys the hell out of them."

Adam's eyes were dark, looking at his sister like he wanted to say something but keeping his tongue. She noticed the look and sighed.

"What's the matter? Did I get hit with the same tar as my big sister? Feelings hurt because of the big bad human sister to El Jaune-eo going all 'Boo-the-hoo-hoo' and making you look like you're not the guy who offered to fuck my little brother?"

' _Yeah… That wasn't the best impression.'_

Eve sighed and nudged him.

"I _told_ you that you should do that earlier, but _nooo…_ To put it clearly: Your little brother did us both a massive favour. Faunus have different rules about that kind of stuff than humans do. We repay favours. My lil' steer offered to be included in the package that this fine babe comes."

Adam blushed and looked away, as his sister's mouth opened up.

"It's not… I wasn't late. I was just… _preparing myself."_

Salmon's eyes widened.

"Damn, this is a mess. So, eh… Why the whole 'I'll fuck you in the bed, Jaune' confession? I've not seen Camellia lose her cool like that yet, and I've been to the protests with her a few times."

Adam's face looked sour and miserable, as the man shook his head.

"You don't _understand_ , human. If Eve doesn't offer first, I'm- It's not-"

A grimace, as the man turned away. Eve started to laugh, as Adam's head shook a few times before he answered.

"It's not _polite_."

Eve popped the last bit of a sandwich into her mouth before she grabbed her brother in a headlock.

"Older ones go first. It's a seniority thing with us, and I'm _still_ the older one. If Jaune hadn't been like, on ground zero when he got struck by lightning, a lot of Faunus wouldn't think he was the hottest thing since chilli-vegan barbecue sauce."

That was still something strange to him, as Salmon looked at him for a moment.

"Mind if I borrow her for a while? She's _cool_."

He looked at Eve, who shrugged a little, giving Salmon a look and a once-over.

"Lesbian stuff is free of charge, you're decently good-looking. Reminds me a bit of- ah, whatever. If you want me to fuck someone for kicks, buzz off. _He's_ got first shot."

She pointed at him and he sort of wondered whether that was just her natural attitude to things or just her regular way of being. Eve looking at him and then gave another nod.

"First, second and third shot. Yeah…"

' _This is confusing…'_

Sienna was confusing too. She'd just rubbed her scent onto him. Faunus were a strange type of people…

' _What's next? Saphron declaring that she's going to join the anti-Faunus Liga?'_

He couldn't imagine it. She'd be in Vale soon, mom had said something about that. If Saphron ever turned out like that, he'd probably call this a nightmare or something. Terra wouldn't stand for it.

"Nah, I need some tips on clothing and stuff. I'm trying to look a bit more mature, so eh… Bit of help from a professional who's known for looking good is wanted. Nothing like… _that_. Though I am glad that you'd consider my brother for that. He's a lovable lunk of man, _stupid_ , but…"

He wondered about that last comment, as Eve smiled brightly at him, as if the praise from his sister was some sort of glorifying bounty.

"I'll see whether we can make you pretty. Adam? Think you can hold the fort and keep Jaune's chastity safe from your wicked Faunus urges?"

Adam gave the middle finger to his sister, before he turned to him.

"I'll suppress the urge, Eve. I don't want to get tackled by the rabid Arc."

He sighed deeply at that. His sister wasn't _rabid_ , but he could understand where she was coming from. The whole thing with her ex, the crying, the anger. He'd not really got it at the time, but it had impacted her severely.

"She's not really rabid… She's just…"

Salmon tried to say something, but Adam just sighed.

"Very vocal about her points. She's _right_ in some, but so wrong in others that it just… egh. I'm not very fond of her."

Salmon nodded sadly. Jaune knew that Salmon and Camellia had been pretty good with each other when they'd been younger, but that Salmon was more liberal in her views and expression. Saphron had always been the bigger sister, and Vivian was definitely someone who made sure that you knew where your place in the house was. Since dad died, she'd been the main breadwinner.

"How does tomorrow morning at ten look for you? We ought to get to the shops before the main crowd hits, we'll kit you out with something that'll make you look good?"

It was nice of Eve to accommodate his sister, probably as a favour to him. She was definitely doing this to get in his good graces, but he should ask Adam about the whole Faunus thing. He wasn't gay, but if there was something hidden about the Faunus their thing, he'd really like to know about it. Sienna wasn't complicated.

Sienna liked to be in control when it came to 'the lowly little beasts that think they can beat Khan' and liked him to be in control when it came to 'making love to me like I'm queen bitch of pussy island'. It was a switch that flipped. She was adorable and cute when she looked at him and then started to half-bitch him out only to just give a huff and then go 'Don't look at me like that. I need a cuddle.'.

' _Now, sometimes she's just a bit too aggressive…'_

He didn't like it much when she got a bit too aggressive. Willow was definitely the one who was more formal, and with her present, Sienna wasn't too 'in your face' with her sensuality…

"Jaune! You stupid little goofball! What's the next thing you're going to do? Sky-diving without a parachute? This is the second time you've been hospitalized in six months!"

He looked at Saphron, who most certainly had just appeared whilst he was off thinking about Sienna and her varying moods of Faunus feline-ness. Saphron definitely looked like she was going into full-on older sister mode.

"Would you believe it if I said it was karma for being too damn irresistible?"

She didn't. Or at least, she didn't look like she believed him.

' _Yeah, I shouldn't have lied to her about the cookie jar…'_

"Jaune Arc, I-"

A loud 'A-ha!' came from the side, as Eve got up and wrapped an arm around Saphron.

"Sweetheart, he's irresistible to me. Better give it a rest, though I've got to ask a question…"

Saphron fixed Eve with a look that was a little dubious. She wasn't comfortable with Eve suddenly getting up close in her personal space, Saphron speaking up with a small hint of suspicion in her voice.

"He's here in the hospital because he got hit by lightning, didn't he?"

' _Oh yeah…'_

He had nearly forgotten that Saphron had visited him before. With all the hubbub about things… It'd been a while since he'd talked to Vivian as well.

"Now, we're here to prevent him from being gangbanged by horny Faunus. Jauney boy here has managed to get to the top of the eligible bachelor list by being too damn cute, Big sis of Jaune whose name I don't know. Now, I'll be making sure that your lil' sis starts looking amazing tomorrow, so if you'll take the night shift so she can get some sleep…"

Saphron's face showed some amusement at the thought of grilling him on things, as she was guided to the chair that sat next to the bed, her face looking a lot more relaxed than before. Somehow, Eve had made a good impression. Eve and Adam started to talk in lower tones, as Saphron leaned forward.

"So, did you get a girlfriend yet? Terra said that the SDC and the White Fang are paying half of your medical expenses, something about 'joint effort' and such."

Salmon gave a wave, and Jaune had that sinking feeling that Saphron was going to be asking questions.

"Get me a nice drink, Salmon? Saph will be interrogating me for a while…"

Saphron certainly looked like she wanted to interrogate him, as she got her Scroll out and dialled a number.

"Hi, I'm at Jaune's little resting home. Yes, he's being a dummy as always, and… See? Here's uncle Jaune!"

He smiled at little Adrian on the other end of the Scroll. This wasn't too unpleasant. He hoped that Salmon would hurry back with that drink. He was getting thirsty. He hoped that Saphron would limit the questions…

"Hey Adrian, I'll be with you again soon. Everything's fine here."

He'd keep the smile on his face for his little nephew, as Sapron and Terra had a quick conversation. Eve walked past and gave a look at the Scroll, giving a broad grin to Terra and then directing herself to Saphron, whose face looked a little more nervous.

"See ya later, Sapphy. I liked the stuff you sent. Nice work. Better work on those angles a bit next, you know?"

Eve departed, leaving Adam behind, a look of utter mortification on Saphron's face suddenly, as he wondered, Terra starting to laugh with a genuine amusement in her voice.

' _Wait, how do you two know each other?'_

Salmon returned from the vending machine with a cool coke, a straw pushed into it for him to drink from. There was little time for questions now with Salmon in the room, but Eve had made him wonder.

* * *

 **And thus, we meet Camellia's friends. All based on alcoholic drinks. Some people I know and enjoy the company of are expert in the art of alcohol, so I thought: Why not? It'd make for a good character name, and I've already gotten a character named Absinthe in one of the fics I write.**

 **The next chapter… will have Jaune get more visits. I'm not an electrician, but hey, getting hit by lightning from the sky must put someone out of commission for a while.**

 **Have a great day, and leave a review if you're so inclined!**


	48. Hopak

**Chapter 48:Hopak**

 **Mystery, and Cyanide got sick two weeks ago, so you had to wait for the update. Sorry about that, ladies and gentlemen.**

* * *

The question of 'how do those two know each other', was not answered easily. Saphron seemed to just take control of the conversation whenever he tried to ask about it, just how she'd done it always when they had been children. Her hand brushed through his hair as she started to tell him a story about how Terra's first cooking expedition had gone.

' _Who can't even bake a cake? It's like the easiest thing ever…'_

He guessed that it would be something of a statistical fact that Terra was better with technology than she was with her domestic skills. Saphron and Salmon started to talk after a while about Salmon's own activities, and he found out that she'd been busy trying to keep Camellia from slipping further into the mindset of the Liga.

' _Yeah, her friends are kind of dodgy…'_

The lady called Mint was a bit crazy. A bit crazy and her friends were not very mentally there either. He leaned more towards the White Fang than the Liga, really, but if this was all that they could muster…

"Want me to change the channel? They don't have great news right now."

He heard Eve comment on it, as he could see that there were people being led out on stretchers, a headline of 'Faunus brutality' underneath it. It was strange, because there seemed to be only women there, looking like they needed the assistance, the strange feeling in his gut that it would have something to do with Sienna really prevalent.

He tried to lift his hand again, only managing a few tremors. He was aware that there would be pain involved, but the pain that shot through him was like he'd been struck by lightning again. Eve looked at him with worry in her expression.

"Do you need something?"

He mouthed a quick no, the Faunus woman changing the channel to a nature documentary. Some guy in a tan outfit was creeping through the bushes, a gigantic spear-gun on his back.

"And here we have the elusive cougar, stalking through the fields unseen."

The animal moved with feline grace, and he could see the huntsman-biologist move, his body moving with the grace that Jaune didn't have right now, the camera trained on the animal. He could see several Grimm in the far distance with his eyes, the huntsman-biologist keeping up with the animal.

"A beautiful creature, successful in the way that it's spreading its territory. Watch as she goes for her mate. A true beauty, I'll say."

The next parts went into the mating habits of the cougar… or perhaps the puma. He thought it was a puma, and seeing the animals frolic and mate wasn't unlike Sienna when she got in a mood.

' _Yeah… Faunus are a bit more like animals…'_

"Well, someone's getting ideas, I see."

He turned to look at Eve, who was pointing down, and he noticed that he was pitching a tent. He groaned softly, as Eve laid a hand on his covers and that was _not_ helping one bit.

"A nature documentary? Is that _all_ you get off to, Jaune?"

He would shrug at Saphron's comment if he could, knowing that she didn't mean any harm with it, and he wasn't going to go in-depth about it.

"It's mostly the fact that I can't really move my body and well... It's a natural response, I _guess?_ Or I've really been hanging around Sienna Khan too much. She's kind of fierce when it comes to Faunus rights."

An agreeing sound came from the Taurus twins, and Saphron shook her head, and the little problem went down again, as the huntsman-biologist started to talk about the different flora and fauna within the region, clearly keeping an eye out for any Grimm.

He was sure that it was a production that'd been inspired by the incentives for people to go out and see the wonderful world that they had, but couldn't due to some sort of inability to fight, or move. Most entertainment television programming was fairly bland, but nature documentaries were a pleasant sight.

"Well, she _is_ Sienna Khan."

Saphron snorted as Eve said that, drawing the woman's attention to her. Eve's smile was sly, as she bared her teeth.

"Now now, don't be snorting at the Great Leader Khan, Saphy. She might have to come to find you. Show you what it's like to below a Faunus boot. Not that you'd have any serious _experience_ with that, _obviously_."

Saphron turned a little red in the face, as she mumbled something under her breath about 'just being too damn lucky'. Whatever that was about, he didn't know, but he was happy that Saphron still had her good sense about her.

"Sienna is a lovely woman once you get to know her."

He really thought so. She was his girlfriend, if they could term it that. The Faunus probably would have some different opinions on that, since he had guards around the clock.

"Very lovely, if she's not threatening to make you into a pretzel and carpaccio over there into a drinking horn. Very domineering woman."

Eve added, and she looked down at him.

"Just like our man here. You should just _see_ him when he's putting his foot down. Adam just couldn't resist, now could you?"

Adam mumbled something, not really looking at him, as Eve grabbed him in a headlock and ruffled his hair around the horns. The man looked uncomfortable with his sister's actions, and Jaune wondered some more on the nature of their sibling relationship for a bit.

"He's a good man."

The words were simple and they seemed to sate his older sister, as she let go of his head.

"Yes. And when Fatty, Glasses and Minty come around again, you'll be keeping him safe, Adam. Sally and Eve are going out shopping."

Salmon, who was the aforementioned 'Sally' looked amused, and there was definitely some hint in her eyes that made him worry a little for the money that'd be spent. Saphron looked a little cautiously at Eve, and he wondered whether she had any experience with Eve shopping.

"I'll protect him with my body."

He shot Adam a look, as it seemed to hit the man how that'd be interpreted. A groan from Adam was the result, and the man clarified.

"In a non-sexual way, of course."

Saphron gave a look of curiosity to the man, as Eve started to laugh softly and nudge her brother.

"Your sister totally _loves_ him."

The man grumbled something about 'rabid people' and turned his gaze away, as Salmon spoke up to clarify. Jaune didn't think that he'd be able to clarify it well.

"Cam leapt at him when he offered to sleep with Jaune."

Saphron's sharp look at him was fierce, before she turned to Adam and fixed the man with a look that was like Camellia, but twice as forceful. Saphron had been warm and supportive, even after moving out.

"You will not lay a hand on my little brother whilst he's infirm, Mister Taurus."

Jaune wanted to add to that that he wasn't infirm, but it wasn't really something that he could do, if Saphron was in her 'combat mode' where she acted like the man of the house. Terra hadn't complained much about things, other than that they were in a good spot in their relationship, and that they sent money once every two weeks.

"It's nothing that you'd _understand_ , Arc. You don't work like we do. You don't know what we do, and how we do- I don't think I can even explain it to you properly, because you don't _feel_ how we _feel!"_

Eve made a snapping sound with her fingers, as she shook her head at her brother's words.

"What my little steer is trying to say, is that there's a _little_ bit of a difference between Faunus and humanity. We're a little freer with how we see the world, and it's… well, I don't think it's personally _wrong,_ really. Adam _isn't_ a bad-looking guy."

' _I'm still here…'_

He wasn't going to sleep with Adam, but Eve was definitely…

"But he's _not_ getting in front of me in the queue. Jaune, you're protected by both of us. I'm not going to let anyone do something to you that you don't want… But if you _do_ need my assistance…"

The grin could've been on Sienna's face with how broad it was, as she leaned forward and stroked over his groin.

"I'll be your night nurse… Or your cow queen."

' _What?'_

Saphron's lips were tightly pressed together, eyes glinting a little as she beheld Eve with a look that wouldn't look out of place on their mother or on Camellia, that stern disapproving look that said enough. Camellia could be fierce, but Saphron wasn't too far behind her in that whole maternal storm of indignant fury.

' _I guess it's the mom factor…'_

"I would _not_ enjoy the sight of my brother being molested, thank you very much, Eve Taurus."

There was a chill in his sister's tone, and Eve merely smirked, not responding but pulling her hand back and shifting a little, opening the jacket a little. Saphron _stared_. All seriousness was gone, as her sister watched.

"And would you enjoy the sight of me stripping and slowly coming at you with a cowskin mantle, hmmm? Saphocles and the- Ooh, that's a blush!"

A wink at Saphron had her flush red, as she looked to him, and her lips pressed together, trying to distract from that part of the conversation, undoubtedly.

"You should have better taste in friends! Look at them! One of them is after you and the other is… well, I don't know about _him_ , but you will need to find _better_ friends! They're both in their twenties, don't you have like, hot girlfriends out there?"

Eve made a sound like she agreed. Adam just made a long-suffering sound, as he rubbed his face, Eve giving him a look that was pretty much like 'yeah, she's pretty right on some points'.

"I'm in _bed_ , Saphron. I can't even more my arms, so how am I going to get a girlfriend, huh?"

He was a little annoyed now, as he met his older sister's eyes, the flat stare of 'you're in trouble, Jaune Arc' met with the look of 'I'm not going to take that comment lying down'.

"One of those girls that visited you would be perfect! Go out and do your thing, be a man and such, they'll just- I don't know? Do I need to hire a hooker or something to get your virginity taken care of?"

Eve cleared her throat, and Salmon face-palmed.

"Not _you_ , cow biscuit. I've seen what you can get up to when you're given free reign with someone's body."

He still didn't know how those two knew each other, as Eve pouted. She seemed to feel a little offended by the comment.

"Now, don't you go and slander me, Saphy! I will be gentle with him! Gentle like he is. Hard, when he's in that mood to give my ovaries a bludgeoning."

Jaune just gave a frustrated look at Eve, who licked her lips, coming up to his bed and brushing her hand through his hair.

"Yeah, your little brother really is something. Hmmhmmm… Makes a girl go _crazy_ for him, y'know. Seeing him here, defenceless, weak, not able to fight me off…"

Saphron's jaw set in a firm way, and if Vivian had been here, Eve might've been in trouble already. Vivian was not going to take stuff easily.

"But I've got _orders_ , and I like my guy to go and _take_ me. Jauney boy here's someone I can respect… and he _helped_ me."

Saphron made a curious sound, looking at Eve as if she'd said something novel, the look of 'I don't trust you one bit, woman' on his older sister's face clearly showing that she wasn't ready to trust Eve's word.

"I would've done that for anyone. Adam's my friend, and you're his sister."

It was a deep sigh that came from Eve's mouth. She rubbed her temples, her blue eyes looking moody, much like her brother did.

"You _can_ claim credit, you know? If people _knew_ what you'd done for us, they'd want you even _more._ Adam is _not_ someone undesirable. I go _first_ , of course, but he _will_ obey and act as he should. None of that look of 'I am a man and I will make you moo for me', Jaune. Take some more credit for the things you've done for us!"

He was pretty sure that it didn't really work like that in the world, but if Eve felt a little bit more comfortable, Saphron looking uncomfortable with the subject, Eve looking at him.

"He's pretty much Faunusnip to us people. _Stupid_ self-sacrificing bastard… If it wasn't nature's way of shoving it to Schnee, I'd have guessed that you'd have a hand in it, but you're not someone who can-"

She narrowed her eyes and glared at him with suspicion in her eyes. Eve crossed her arms under her breasts, pushing them up. Mountains moved. He just watched.

"You _can't_ throw lightning bolts, can you?"

Everyone was looking at him and he laughed helplessly. He most certainly was not capable of that. Amber could, but she'd been given the magical power by Ozpin.

"Do I look like I can _survive_ getting struck by lightning again? I'm _not_ one of the brother gods. I'm more like the girl in the tower, really. Helpless Jaune Arc, guarded by big burly guards and a cute head guard lady and her twin brother whilst my sisters are trying their best to harangue me."

He was exaggerating a little, but his sisters, all two of them, just stared at him. He tried to laugh it off, but Salmon looked concerned.

"We'd rather have you running around than being locked up, Jaune. You got hit by lighting, you got into a battle against some rogue Faunus earlier in the year and you're trying to support mom by giving her money."

Saphron's eyes showed irritation with that, as she pointed at him.

"We've got money _too_ , Jaune. Let us support the family, even if Terra has to go and work a little harder. You've got to make your own money. Camellia's girlfriend contributes as well, as far as I know, but it's not something that she likes to talk about, or that _we_ like to talk about. Terra and I are solid, and I've not had to work much lately, but-"

He didn't know what she did for work, but there was something in the back of his mind that told him that asking wouldn't be a winning proposition. He saw Salmon look guilty for a moment, her eyes looking away.

"Wait, Camellia has a girlfriend?"

' _That's new.'_

Saphron nodded in acknowledgement.

" _Nice_ , if a bit misguided at times. We met on the trip we went on. Theresa is a little overzealous, but she means well."

' _So not…'_

That was a relief. He hoped that Camellia's girlfriend was a decent, modest girl, nothing like that Sazerac woman who'd just about preached the gospel of Faunus hate. He wasn't sure how to approach his sister about that… and he didn't know what the news would bring to their mother.

Saphron's status as an out and proud lesbian wasn't that _bad_ , but Camellia was certainly more outspoken about her views on Faunus, something that their mother tolerated, but Jaune knew that it'd be a bit of an issue if a second daughter turned out to prefer women over men.

"Eh… Yeah, her friends are weird."

Eve nodded in agreement, as Adam kept himself on the surface, his eyes glancing at him for a moment before they went to Saphron.

"We're tracking down the guy who abandoned his child."

Adam said, and Eve smacked him lightly, shaking his head. Saphron's eyebrows shot up.

"Oh?"

Salmon's soft 'oh fucking finally' was met with a look from Saphron and Salmon mumbled a soft 'sorry'.

" _Nobody_ abandons a kid. We're already not as populous as it gets, and making a baby with someone and then bailing isn't… Yeah. I mean, big boy over here has got his credentials for being a part of a big family, but we're not at a level where we can function. Menagerie is always short on good Huntsmen."

Saphron looked a little odd, as she looked away, shaking her head quietly to herself. It was in a quiet tone that she spoke.

"It wasn't done easily. Better no child than to raise one without a partner. We don't really like to talk about it."

Eve nodded, looking at his sister with a look that might pass for understanding. There was no humour in the woman, just a grim seriousness. The thing with Camellia had shaken the family a little, and it'd been harsh on them all, knowing that Camellia had borne a loss.

He couldn't fix his older sister, even if he wanted to. He knew that Camellia was hurt and still reeling from that pain, but it wasn't anything that he could manage. She was who she was, and she was the sum of her experiences, or so she'd once explained it to a younger him.

Their father had died, and he'd been able to cobble together enough of a budget that'd keep them all under a roof, but it wasn't something that he was good at. Mom had the habit of buying useless things, so it was not like she was capable of running the finances.

"He's lucky with many sisters. So many single children for our people…"

The sigh from Eve was heavy, as she looked at him with eyes that told him that she was serious.

"You better procreate, blondie. I want to see many babies from your dick."

The mental image was something he could've gone without, but he tried to make the smile stick on his lips, to make that image of strength be upheld.

"I'll try? I'm still not sure…"

He wasn't sure if he could be a good father yet. He was seventeen, which definitely was a late entrant to the concept of Aura and it did not make a difference with the experience that he had gained during the encounters with Willow and with Sienna. Sienna he could trust on to keep him safe if it happened to concern the Faunus, those Faunus against her definitely being beat own into a pulp by the woman, as if the thought of rebellion incited a particular grudge.

A child with Sienna… Probably darker-skinned than most, maybe with blonde or dark hair, cute features and maybe the same set of ears as its mother. He wasn't sure whether it would be a boy or a girl, but he'd be the best dad that he could.

Willow's face appeared to his mind, and he knew what would emerge from her. A small white-haired child, maybe with blue eyes that reminded him of her, able to wield the Schnee Semblance without his own trick. The pleasure that it would give him was balanced out by the worries about how it would look.

Two tigers, fighting over the same piece of meat. Two women, diametrically different in status, fighting over him. They weren't in disharmony yet, but the woman that was in charge of the White Fang had insinuated that she'd not mind the inclusion of Willow into the mix. They were friends. They were best friends, bound together by their like for him.

' _A regular dance of tigers, with me as the prey in-between.'_

He fell asleep then, thinking about that, unaware of his sisters getting up, Saphron mumbling a brief 'good night' as she went back, Adam and Eve getting ready for another night of staying up to guard him.

* * *

"Jaune?"

Nora's voice was soft in his ear and he wanted to raise his hand to brush the tickling thing away from him, the smell of something floral in the vicinity enough to make him sneeze. A large bouquet of flowers was put in his face, as she put it in a vase.

"Ah, sorry, I-"

He didn't really want to admit that he'd been sleeping, and he spotted Pyrrha sitting on a chair, placidly rubbing over her jeans. The green hat she wore was good for hiding her identity, her hair loose and not looking too 'Pyrrha Nikos-ey' being something.

"You were sleeping. Is there any change?"

Ren was the voice of reason, as he spoke up so calmly, like it was just another day at the fair, like life was something that came with its ups and downs. There were hardly any words to describe how grateful Jaune was for Ren's tranquil demeanour, as Nora started to bounce a little before she started to talk about how exciting things were at Beacon with the Vytal Festival coming up.

' _I'll need some time to get better…'_

He wasn't sure whether he'd be able to do the Glyph trick anytime soon. His body felt tired and a little restless, as much of it as he could feel it. His breathing wasn't impacted luckily, but his body felt like it was trying to move through a cast-iron fence inch by inch every time he tried to raise his hands.

He'd better get well soon…

"No, not really. I'm not feeling super."

His fingers twitched, as he tried to push them together. Nora noticed and started to speak excitedly about how that was great to see.

' _It's like my limbs are like leaden weights. I can't feel anything aside from their weight.'_

"We believe in you, Jaune."

Pyrrha was there with her supportive words, with her eyes glinting softly in the light. It was pleasant to see her like this, because he knew that she only meant well. Her desire for him was different, and it showed her care for him. Love was a strange thing, and Pyrrha Nikos was someone who would rather be caring for someone.

"I'll make sure to wash you later, okay? Do you want a drink?"

He watched Pyrrha get up, her green eyes concerned, Nora starting on a wholly different tune, her excited murmurings about this new great syrup that she'd discovered last week making her voice get really high-pitched, her gestures turning even more excited as she told the story in exaggerated motions, with Ren offering a frequent correction.

"That'd be nice, Pyrrha. You're too kind for a guy like me."

The smile on her lips was simple, as she inquired for the others about their preference. Adam looked a little tired, with his eyes shifting back and forth without a pause. A terse 'Just some apple juice' came, as he shifted. Eve was out with Salmon to shop for something, and it was just Adam here with him, the man's arms crossed his arm and started to tap away at his Scroll.

* * *

Willow Schnee was not someone who easily lost her temper, but she wished that she could right as of this moment. There were three more business calls ahead of her, and there was a meeting planned in thirty minutes as well.

"No, we will not be supplying you with the current rate, no matter what the inflation has to account for."

There was a harsh nature to business, as she checked the itinerary for a moment, flash-spotting the burden that came with the whole funeral business of her husband. Olav was driving the car and she knew the song and dance of the people.

"It is as agreed upon, and if you wish for another, better offer… I do wish you luck finding a supplier of Dust."

There was no other supplier of Dust for the Kingdom of Vale. Several old-time Dust businesses were still open due to the virtue of Vacuan import, but it was not to be a huge pressure on the market. With her acumen, she'd cornered the market with her husband acting as the manager behind the screens.

"Get me an intern, Olav. Anyone who can count to thirty and talk a bit like they've got fire in their spirit will do. I need a secretary to handle some stuff, or an assistant or whatever…"

A secretary or three might make the load even more bearable, but that was what went to the fools. The man gave a soft sound in the back of his throat, acknowledging the issues that it brought. It was definitely something that would give most people pause, if Olav did not work as he did, silent and stern.

A bodyguard and an oftentimes secretary, tasked with her protection. Her daughters could fend for themselves, she knew.

The next call was done swiftly, and the third one was briefly rang up to announce that she would call them post-meeting, with the next offer to be discussed. Business did not wait, and the lesser orders were handled by the lower management. The branch office was visited, and Olav ambled along once the meeting started.

' _Big deals mean big money.'_

The folder with interns was already on the seat next to her as Olav started the engine to drive her to the next destination, and he was aware of the itinerary as it had been written down. She mentally calculated the proceeds of the charitable donation to Mantle's orphan relief fund that she'd have to award when she'd gotten to Atlas, making a mention of it in her agenda before she opened the file up.

Names and portraits. Augustus Mauve. Someone named Secundus Grass. Moe Sleazy. Mao Mao Cat Front. Sable Arc.

' _This looks like a casting couch plan… And there's one woman amongst them. Is this really the best that I can attract for the company?'_

She opened the file up and checked the contents, letting her attention slip through the curriculum vitae's that had been provided. Young, eager people, signed up with the company for an intern position, ready to work for the Schnee Dust Company.

' _And Jaune's sister… Well, it's not like I wouldn't consider it. Nepotism… But she probably doesn't know about my involvement with her brother.'_

The folder was pushed aside, leaving her to look at the face of her bodyguard and driver. She trusted the man to have done his homework, and it would be fair to let things be done.

"Have those five present an overview of distribution, product placement and expansion, as well as future plans for marketing. I expect it on my desk before the end of the week."

A good report would decide. She did not make a decision without proper judgment. An assistant or intern to help her with the product placement would be signing so many contracts and non-disclosure agreements that they'd be having a muscle cramp before the day was done.

' _Never expect anyone to serve your needs without incentive. That's one thing I can respect you on, Jacques.'_

She exited the car and strode to her lodgings, catching Whitley outside, stepping out of his own car, driven by one of the bodyguards that had been _strictly_ instructed to _never_ be out of the line of sight. Abductions or some-such was not an experience that she would wish on her son again. The thought of Jaune saving her little boy had brought with it a small hope in her heart.

' _He would enjoy it if Jaune became an addition to the family.'_

"Mother."

Willow's hand brushed over her son's cheek and she pulled him close to her. He was still her young son, someone who would grow into a man eventually.

"Did you have a nice time out? Did you meet any nice girls?"

He was a little shy, she knew, but that was undoubtedly due to his father stimulating the business instinct, rather than the interaction. Winter was more extreme in her severe lack of understanding of things, and it was rather shameful to admit that Winter was less than tactful at most circumstances.

"No, mother. I'm… I was _out_ with a friend. We went to the arcade."

She looked at the bodyguard, who nodded once in acknowledgement.

"Young Master Whitley has been at the arcade and his friend was more than happy to buy us an ice-cream cone. The young Master enjoyed himself."

Her son flushed a little and she laughed, aware of his embarrassment. At least now, she wouldn't be worrying for him too much. A friend, one who did not make such waves like the last two, was someone who could be relied upon.

"I wish to… I wish to buy something for them, mother. It would suit their sense of style. Can I?"

She didn't really mind giving him more money, it was after all, just money. His happiness was worth more than all the money in the world to her, and she felt like she owed him at least a chance at happiness, if his friend was pleased. He'd had so few friends.

"Of course. Don't buy their friendship, though. We are Schnee. We do _not_ buy friends."

She had few friends. _One_ , really. Sienna Khan. They'd met through a guy, they'd both drank because of that same guy, and she'd decided to leave the liquor be, whilst Sienna preferred to hit the bottle at times due to the stress of having to manage the White Fang.

"I will not, mother. I just wish to… ensure that they looked better. Some new clothing might be an improvement for my own style, much less… formal. Father insisted that a Schnee always look presentable, and… Since he is no longer here, perhaps a hoodie?"

She smiled, the image of Jaune coming to her mind. Her son had found an idol of sorts, or at least a big brother figure in him.

"Don't start trying to ape Mister Arc. I would be amused, but the moment you start holding thoughts of attending Beacon or some-such, I will have to step in and deny you, young man."

She didn't really think that Whitley would be up for doing something like that, but she'd seen with Winter that stubbornness ran in the family… as well as a preference for blondes, for some reason. Tall blondes, with blue eyes.

' _It's a little annoying to admit that I am in a competition with my own daughters…'_

She'd much rather find herself in a good spot on some sunny locale and just enjoy the weather. The autumn season was coming, and she was not going to bring her lover a woman who looked merely 'average'.

' _A beauty treatment might not be wrong…'_

He would get better, after all. He would get better and she would get to see what monster tamed Sienna at night. From how Sienna described it, he was like a tornado hitting a pier, which was some sort of Menagerian saying, or something… but she would like to explore that herself.

' _A little touch, perhaps just an order to keep put…'_

"I won't, mother. I am not really cut out for the work of a Huntsman."

She hoped that he wouldn't change his mind. Someone needed to inherit the company's reins when she was pregnant by her man. She _would_ get pregnant. That was not an objection, she knew. The Arc family had _seven_ sisters and _one_ brother to those sisters. That was virility. That was a long and sensual night of her oiled fingers sliding over his scars, slowly licking the skin and massaging it.

' _Whipped cream and cherries for him to lick off me…'_

She wasn't against a bit of surprise passion in the bedroom, especially if it involved making her man feel good. She'd let him feel her warmth in all those ways.

' _Perhaps some more lingerie shopping…'_

A few sets would be good for her. She was _single_ , after all.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to prepare for when Jaune would be more mobile. There was some progression in his motor functions that had been reported to her, at least as much as they _could_ report to the people paying half of the bills and aware of the situation.

If he would walk again, he would bring with him the wonderful love that she held for him. The thought him in her bedroom, laying in the bed with her, her arms wrapped around him and murmuring a soft word in his ears, aware of the love that he felt for her.

And if he did not walk again, she would make sure that he would have the love that he needed, even if the world would judge her. Sienna had been honest in the conversation that they'd had.

* * *

" _So, what if he's… not able to get up?"_

 _There was a stern look on Sienna's face, as the woman leaned against the desk, the bottle half-drank, the 'business meeting' between the White Fang and the Schnee Dust Company on the subject of the CEO of the SDC dying already half-way done, as much as she'd like to say otherwise._

" _Well, I'm not giving up. Mine. Even if he can't push me around, I'll make it work. Are you giving up, Willow?"_

 _The Faunus woman's eyes narrowed, clearly showing disappointment if she did acknowledge it. It'd been a very brief thought, but banished as soon as it rose. She would support the young man who had rescued her from that deep dark pit, who had restored her family to some small semblance of order._

" _Are you calling me weak, Sienna? Of course not."_

 _The savage smile on the Faunus woman's face was definitely something that was a charming point. There was ferocity within Sienna Khan, ferocity and desire, something that was within her as well, but not as on the surface as with Sienna._

" _That's the answer from the frozen bitch that I know…"_

 _It was playful banter, from Sienna at least, and Willow's eyes went to the bottle for a moment. The desire to take a sip was there, but she was not going to let a moment of laxity happen. It would be back to bad spaces if she did. She was not a woman who would go back on her word._

" _What's the situation with the Faunus? There were talks about… hospital visits and well-wishes for him?"_

 _Sienna's expression darkened, and that wasn't good. Sienna only looked like that when she was in one of her moods to be aggressive._

" _It seems I will have to beat some people into the hospitals for trying to take what was Khan's… Seriously, you should have heard the arguments in the locker rooms. Like a bunch of kittens trying to fight over a teat!"_

 _That was a strange analogy, but she was used to it. Sienna knew her people better than she ever would._

" _Any problems?"_

 _Sienna shook her head sternly._

" _Aside from Adam being slower than a leaky condom, no. Eve and Adam will keep watch over him so that there won't be another Black Dinner… That gave me cramps for weeks. Kali can be fierce when she needs to be."_

 _She wasn't sure what Sienna meant with that, but she wasn't going to ask. Sienna had those experiences that were a little far out there due to the social dynamics of the Faunus people. Willow was pretty certain that Sienna didn't mean any harm._

" _They don't dare try to go for me anymore. Beat up enough people and they'll start to respect you… Fuckers don't think with their top brain but with their lower ones. I'm a proud and independent woman!"_

 _Willow could agree with that. Sienna hadn't finished her sentence seemingly, though, taking a swig of the bottle and continuing, the bottle slammed down onto the table._

" _When we fuck, we fuck. It's been so long since I've had that, I should just visit him… Tweety and Sylvester keep the guy safe, and it'll probably be a day or so… But damn, you start to miss it. It's been four days since I last saw him!"_

 _There was a certain hypocrisy in Sienna's statements, but Willow chose not to point that out. It was not a thing that she should mention at any rate, Sienna more than independent in her way of handling the world._

" _And about Miss Taurus?"_

 _Sienna made a snorting sound and gave a dismissive gesture with her hand._

" _She'll be right after you. She's my bitch and she knows where her spot is. Her brother is a moron at times, but Eve knows what she has and how she is."_

 _That didn't really say much to Willow, but she trusted Sienna to handle the Faunus. The competition between her daughters and herself for the hand of Jaune Arc was still something a touch more pressing than that._

" _You should prepare. He will need support."_

 _Sienna nodded at her words, and Willow felt some relief, as Sienna pulled out her Scroll._

" _He will be better. I will ensure that he gets treatment, even if I have to drag a shaman to his room by the tail or something."_

 _Willow wasn't really up to date on customs like that, but it was something that made her wonder about the viability of medicine from Menagerie. Sienna looked like she was definitely considering it._

" _Don't have them do a fertility dance…"_

 _Sienna frowned at her, giving her a look as if she were mad._

" _There's nothing wrong with a bit of extra luck! Jaune's got like… six sisters? Seven? When he comes inside, it's like my ovaries are getting a shotgun shell of spunk slamming into it! When I go off, I'll be pregnant in a day's time! I'm not a weak woman!"_

 _Sienna was a weird woman. Science was obviously the better option, because you could trust in science. The image wasn't bad though. Not bad at all._

* * *

She crawled into her bed twenty minutes after dropping her son off at his own personal rooms, instructing the bodyguard to get him to bed at a reasonable time, feeling the coolness of the sheets against her skin and letting her mind languish for a little more.

She might have to find some room in her schedule to interview those five interns. It would lighten her workload if she had different people to take care of some of the management tasks on a lower-case level.

Hiring people who had some bright ideas and youth would undoubtedly innovate the company from the money-grubbing people who'd followed Jacques' lead.

' _Soon, Jaune…'_

* * *

Jaune just stared at the TV screen, aware that Adam was busy with some exercises to keep himself in fighting form, trying to ignore the rambling of the Sazerac woman, who'd come to visit without her boyfriend, Mint Julep sitting on one of the chairs.

"Fifteen percent of the population, yet involved in ninety percent of all terroristic acts, you animal! Does that make you not a criminal under the law for existing!?"

Adam ignored the woman, continuing with the push-ups, Jaune's eyes glancing at the clock. A creak of the door, and he wondered whether Camellia would show up as well. The Liga had shown up, sans Negroni, Sazerac turning the rant on whilst Mint just watched him with a hawk's eyes, her fingers brushing over her knees.

"And with your stinking beast mutt faces in the place, who would want to be around you? Go back to your kingdom of Menagerie and be animals there! Go back to where you came from."

Adam's motions were uninterrupted, Jaune watching his friend get up again, towering over the woman. The expression on the man's face was haughtier and loftier than before, as he ran a finger over the edge of his sword, grabbing a towel and starting to towel off, only left in a shirt, the jacket folded on a seat.

"Are you done, human?"

There was a tiredness in Adam's voice, his eyes looking weary at the expression on the squat woman's face, the woman starting to wag her fingers, a preachy tone about how his kind was an abomination on the world, and how Khan would find herself ousted from the fair city of Vale soon.

"Don't you ever get tired of the animals?"

Jaune met Mint's eyes, able to slowly turn his head, the woman looking concerned for him, and he sighed.

"Not really… They're not so bad once you get to know them."

There was something in the woman's eyes, a deep-seated mistrust, whenever she looked at Adam, anger and hate, as Suzerac started on another rant. The woman seemed to be steamed for the conversation, her mouth not stopping the barrage.

"They are filthy animals, lying to you so they can fuck you, and leave you with their spawn."

That wasn't exactly true, he knew, because there were plenty of Faunus who were honest and good-natured. Blake's mother was pleasant, Sienna was… _Sienna_ , and Adam and Eve were nice.

"If I ever get pregnant by a Faunus, I'll be sure to let you know."

It was not possible for a man, but Mint's serious look didn't fade. The thought of him… _nah_.

"Cam talked with me. If you need someone to take care of things, I'll…"

The woman laid a hand on his chest and stroked over the path of the lightning scar, her expression serious. The woman looked reasonable in moments like this, caring, though her rhetoric seemed to be a little off most of the time.

"I'll take care of _things_. Humanity should help itself, and Cam, she really loves you, you know?"

A smile on Mint's face, as she brushed her hand over his chest, a little slower.

"I'm not _that_ hard up yet for affection. My team said that they'd help as well, if it came to that."

Not that he had that need yet, but it was nice to imagine. Mint's expression changed just a little, as she looked at her _round_ friend, sighing softly as she looked at him again.

"You're Cam's little brother. We met during a trip, and we've been _close_ ever since. Two girls, both in similar circumstances. I didn't know who her older sister was at the time, of course, but we had fun. It was a great trip and I've met my best friend there."

The woman's expression was kind and warm for a moment, without any sort of judgment visible in the eyes, as she looked away for a moment, to the window.

"Cam just wants you safe. She's told me about that ex, and how the jungle queen seems to be trying to mooch into your good graces for undoubtedly some cross-breeding experiment. She'll want to pollute your beautiful genes, Jaune. That's what Faunus do."

' _That's pretty… yeah…'_

The woman's fingers traced over his chest, going up. He couldn't move, but he could feel the sensation slowly creep up.

"They'll hurt your beautiful blonde family. So many girls, all fit for Faunus breeding… They're like an infestation, a plague on this world. If they hurt Cam like that, who is to say that they won't hurt another of her sisters?"

Sienna would hurt people for saying something like that, but he didn't know. His experience with Faunus was fairly limited. They weren't the type that his sisters would date after what Camellia had experienced, and they generally remained aloof from the Faunus.

' _I'm not looking forward to introducing Sienna to you, Camellia. She's fierce enough to actually brawl with you.'_

"Even if the redheaded steer guy just wanted to sleep with you, we'll keep you safe."

She was well-intentioned, at least. His mother hadn't come by yet, and Adam was still suffering the barrage of insults with a bored expression on his face, eyes glancing at him for a while, as he pulled his Scroll out and checked it for a moment.

"Look at him, all _smug_. Branded like cattle should, with his pervert of a sister guarding over a fine young man like you. She's _evil_ , with her big breasts and her words."

He hoped that the ranting wouldn't be so fierce as Sazerac was doing, the woman starting up another rant about Adam's mental incapacity as a Faunus.

"-born with half a brain, you animals! You'll never find a home with us, go back to Menagerie!"

He laughed softly at the thought of Eve being evil. Sienna was worse some days. Sienna snapped at you and then wanted you to drag her by the hairs to the bed so she could prove you wrong and that she was still the best pussy in the world. It was… an interesting contrast.

"She's nothing compared to Sienna Khan. That woman can just knock you on your back and then step on you and give you a look like she wants to kick the ever-loving shit out of you."

Mint's face darkened, as she hissed something, making a crude symbol with her hands. It was sign language for 'animal', if he remembered it properly, and the woman's shirt with 'All Animals Must Die' on it moved a little with the motion.

"She's the _real_ animal. She's been saying that because of the renewed negotiations, Faunus will be able to work under better conditions! We should just put them back in chains, so they'll never have their freedom again."

He wasn't much for political squabbling, but the woman seemed genuinely convinced that it was the right idea. He hoped that Sienna could set her straight. Sienna didn't really come across as this whole evil woman, unless she was being a little bratty and teased him a little. There was a certain simplicity to Sienna. She did what she did, when she did. There was no hidden motive, no seductive thought in her mind. Willow was much more of a threat.

That woman could make you aroused with just a smile and a mere insinuation.

The door to his room opened and a young man walked in, long hair in a ponytail, Adam's hand on his blade, ready to strike, slowly relaxing again.

"Ah, it's _you_."

The young man smiled, as they sat down next to Adam. A weapon was at the side of the young man, the loose clothing that he wore looking perfectly.

"It's been a while, Adam. Menagerie is _beautiful_ this time of year."

The young man spoke up, and Jaune realized that it was a young woman instead, spots on the face showing clearly a trait that wasn't really visible.

"A human who's allying herself with the animals? Come back to humanity, sister! You can be saved from their wiles!"

The disgust on the young woman's face was clear, as the woman's hand pulled out something from her pocket, handing it to Adam.

"Sienna said that you might need this. Eve isn't here?"

There was a tension in the air, as a litany of mistrust was being spouted by the _squat_ and _round_ Sazerac, Mint's eyes distrustful, but not speaking up, Adam acting as if it didn't exist.

"No, she went out. So, how're things with Blake?"

' _A friend of Adam, Sienna and Blake.'_

He could trust in that, he guessed. Adam just made a shake of the head, looking darkly at him.

"Not so good. She's in the race, but she's being _Blake_ again. Logically, there's no way that she can go up against Eve. My sister is a lot of things I do not really agree with, but compared to Blake, she's got a better chance."

The woman smiled at him, as she pulled something out. A bottle of milk, of a brand he didn't quite know. She unscrewed the cap for him after shaking it a little, probably due to the milk looking a little differently.

"Here, I got you some. There's a little store in Vale that sells it, and I remember that Eve said you liked it. Adam needs his milk bottle, or something like that."

Adam drank it with a soft 'Thanks', his attention going back to the blue-haired woman. Jaune's attention went to the young woman, who looked at him with an expression that he couldn't quite place.

"You're one of Blake's friends?"

A quick nod from her, as she let her attention slip back to the preaching Sazerac, her eyes showing distaste. Clearly a proud member of the White Fang.

"We've been friends for years. We met seven years ago, when she was young and I was… well, that's in the past."

The smile on the young woman's face was softer, as the eyes softened in their glance, the colour of the girl's skin shifting to pink before it faded back.

"She's one of the reasons why I joined the White Fang. Adam, Eve and I used to be closer, since we're around the same age."

He could only smile at the young woman, whose eyes hardened a little at him. She got up and walked to the bed slowly, her eyes decisive.

"You don't have to worry about Blake anymore, Arc."

He wasn't sure what she was getting at, as the woman's hand brushed over her scalp.

"I'm going to _ask_ her, once I've done this little visit, whether she'd like to formalize things."

Adam's eyes went to her, a smile on his face.

"You're going to ask her? Congratulations, I've been wondering when you'd find the courage. You might have to face denial, though. She's still in the brawl."

The woman, whose name he still hadn't caught, laughed softly at that.

"It's only until he's _claimed_ , Adam. Even _I_ know that it's only until a claim is staked or death. Blake will see that there is no other way. Not that the former is going to happen…"

Adam's eyes widened, and the woman turned, a whip in her hand. A zapping sound, and Adam went down, the woman's hand pulling the whip down again, the handle clicking a little as the Dust crystal slowly shifted, cycled with an active crystal.

"You _won't_ get in the way, Adam. Now to deal with the _humans."_

Sazerac watched, and Jaune hoped that Adam was alright in a distant part of the brain, as the woman, who obviously had Huntsman training, moved with a burst of speed, her fist burying itself into the blue-haired woman's gut, several of the buttons scattering as the body hit the ground, the woman leaping over the bed in a display of athleticism, as she stood in front of Mint, and his sister's best friend screamed something like 'Stop-' but the woman's motions were too fast.

Civilians couldn't stop a trained Huntsman, and he heard Adam groan.

"Don't do it! If Sienna finds out, she'll _kill_ you."

The body of Mint hit the ground, the woman knocked out, and the Faunus woman, a friend of Blake, stood at his bedside, her face an emotionless mask, before a smile appeared on her face.

"She'll _understand_ when she sees your head. Now, don't worry. She'll be well taken care of, Arc."

The woman moved, looking down at Sazerac again, before stomping down onto the woman, probably in the face, out of sight. That definitely had been a blow that'd been meant to knock out, because he didn't quite hear the cracking noise of bones breaking. A small part of his mind told him that it would be only a seven-year sentence for a single murder.

"Why?"

A simple question that seemed to be so ordinary, but still made him feel pained to see that look on her face, her colour shifting to an angry red.

"She'll _love_ me, once I'm free again. It's just a _human_ who died, after all. You'll never get to be the prize when you're _dead_ , Arc. She'll _understand_ , eventually. Even Adam failed in claiming her, but it wasn't _her_ fault that he was such a weak little bull, no. She'll learn to love it, once she's free again."

The whip rose, wrapping around his neck, a noose by another name, and he could feel the current running through it, small shocks jolting his body.

"Tweety and Sylvester aren't going to come in here, Adam. I've promised Trifa a chance with Arc here… Well, not that he'll be alive afterwards, so they're a bit _tied up_ right now with talking to her. They _know_ me. They know that I love women."

He sighed, closing his eyes. This was messy, and he knew that this wouldn't exactly endear the Faunus to him. If only he could move, he'd be able to do something about it.

"Well, y-AH!"

Electricity coursed through his body, which jerked a little as the pain hit him, a pained sound coming from him, as the woman let the current stop. It hurt less than the lightning bolts, but it still _hurt_.

"It's so _nice_ to see you in pain, _human._ The world will be better for us when we're free to _love_ each other. Blake will understand, I _had_ to do it. She deserves to be the beauty in my bed, not with some disgusting _human_."

The whip cut into his neck, and he became aware of blood starting to flow down his neck from the sharp edge of the whip. With a single jerk, she could separate his head from his shoulders, his aura capable of softening the damage, but even that didn't really help when he was unable to move anything below the neck.

Another jolt of electricity, before the madwoman with a Blake obsession seemed to come to a conclusion.

He could see the motion on her hands, as she went for the beheading. The metal wire of the whip cut into his neck, and it definitely wasn't pleasant.

' _Getting killed by an angry jealous lesbian… This is some sort of cosmic joke. I don't even like Blake that much.'_

The universe must be laughing at him someway, because the woman, who _still_ wasn't introduced, looked like she was doing the world a service.

' _This sucks.'_

* * *

 **And we've got Blake's last ex appearing! You didn't think that I'd let the biggest contender for the Belladonna lady go without mention, did you?  
**

 **Blake Belladonna: Beauty with a lot of ex-lovers!**

 **Leave a review if you'd like!**


	49. Étape de Foudre

**Chapter 49: Étape de Foudre**

 **People seem to be thinking that Aura is some fix-all type of stuff. If you've got nerve damage, it's a slow recovery process, because it's like the flow of energy is stopped or dead through certain parts of the body. Aura, working on physical recovery, cannot help it. Just a bit to clarify things a little.**

* * *

He was going to die. The wire of the whip cut into his neck and he was going to die.

This sucked. This really sucked and he felt like he was helpless, the flickering burst of lightning shot through the whip's cutting edge shocking him again, as the power inside him shot through the wire, and the Faunus woman's eyes went wide before she was blasted away. He could feel power flow through his body, tendrils and arcs of lightning flickering over his skin, the power that had flowed through him four times, the warmth of his Aura coming, as he felt his hands slowly raise, the Faunus woman getting up again.

The resulting thunder crack shattered the windows of this side of the hospital as the body of the woman was blasted through the wall, Jaune's consciousness gone after that burst of energy, only faintly aware of the pain that had shot through his whole body receding once more, leaving him mostly in a room that looked like it had a hurricane go through it, a lightning-whip still wrapped around his neck.

* * *

"WHAT THE FLYING _FUCK_ , ADAM?"

Sienna Khan was not happy. The kick was a little more enthusiastic as it came down and someone's bone fractured. Nothing that she could care about, as she looked at the Scroll. There was screaming in the background, but that didn't matter, the boyfriend was in danger, according to Beef Horns McAdam.

"HOW IN THE NAME OF- No, don't even go and bring that up, you little beef barbecue, I should beat the ever-loving shit out of you for even letting him get close to some psycho bitch, no matter how badly she fed you your mom's milk, you little whiny little- Oh no you fucking _don't_."

That was a broken foot after she stomped down, but she didn't really care. The whimpering form in the chair was definitely not going to be walking in any coherent way, her eyes looking at the two assistants that had been making sure that the guy was there to remain in the firm graces of her hospitality, as she stalked out from the little special place, continuing her conversation, changing into a jacket that wasn't made splatter-proof.

"No, I want you to get the guy to someplace sa- actually, just let me contact Willow for a bit, seriously, does Eve know that Ilia tried to barbecue-"

The response from Adam was very silent, and she felt annoyance rise. Jaune was still alive, that was sure, but lizard girl definitely had to face consequences for her actions. It would be normal if it was a regular situation, but the girl didn't even know whether Blake wanted it. You just didn't interfere in the great game, or else you got punished.

"Get the body of the girl and break her arms and legs. Put it down as 'keeping her unable to hurt the poor guy.' I need to have _words_ with her. I'm in my _right_."

She pulled up the contact list and just hit the button, the call connecting. It took a few moments, as the connection settled.

"High Leader Khan, what can I-"

Willow was formal. That was a thing, she supposed.

"Alright, _Schnee._ Been a little accident at the hospital with that whole shared little bastard that we've got laid up there as a PR stunt, I'm remanding him to your care for the foreseeable future. Get him a room somewhere nice and cosy and I'll be grateful, and maybe cut you a sweet deal for the future of Faunus and Human relations, okay?"

She could see Willow's face for a moment as Sienna grabbed one of her bodyguards, nearly throwing him at the car, the man able to brace himself before he slammed into the vehicle, a snarl coming from her lips.

"Fucking open the door for me and get me to Vale General before I rip off an arm, you fucking bastard son of a slug. I've got to do what Khan does best, and that means making sure that we don't come across as murderous animals!"

Sienna paused for an instant in her language, as she sighed and then spoke up.

"He's _your_ charge now, Schnee."

This was a tragedy. She couldn't even trust Tweety and Sylvester with the safety of her man, and now she had to get herself to the place without even being able to freshen up a little after that bastard got his right due.

' _God damn it, I need a dick and a drink. I'm just tempted to go and bring myself the liquor bar to get ready. Damage control, some more damage control, reparations… Ugh… This is going to cut into the budget, and Eve will be beating Adam to a pulp when she hears… Which I will do next. Seriously, he's sluggish when it comes to that, and now Ilia decided to park her flat ass on the curb.'_

She dialled the number on her Scroll, spraying herself with something perfume-like, just to get the blood out of her scent, replaced with something flowery. Sienna Khan did not smell like some basic-bitch who wanted some dick after committing murder on some poor fool who was to be pitied.

"Helloooo Sienna! You'll never guess who Jaune's sister is, an-"

Her unamused face looked at a cheery-faced Eve, who was currently wearing a hot pink shirt with 'Moo Milk' on top, one of the Faun-Chic brands that'd been commercially successful. Of course, the Faunus people did earn a good slice of it back. One had to maintain multiple streams of income.

"Why the _fuck_ aren't you at Jaune's side, beef burger!?"

She'd be brusque and bold, as Eve glanced away, and Sienna could see someone who looked quite a lot like Jaune stand there in the background, wearing a deep blue shirt with 'Hot Animal' on the front of it.

"Well, Adam said he'd be able to handle it. Fatty, Leery and Screechy aren't much of a threat, so… eh, I went shopping? Jaune's sister wanted to have some advice, and I am-"

The glare turned a little more arctic in nature. This was not good.

"Ilia Amitola decided to execute Jaune for impeding on her territory for Blake."

Eve's skin turned pale like milk. Sienna felt a faint hint of 'yeah, suffer' that may just be a bit of her cruel nature taking a hold of her thoughts, but it was still nice to see someone realize how bad they fucked up.

"Oh gods… Oh gods- what… She'd do it too, she was an infiltration specialist, and we just… Is he okay? Sienna, you crazed bitch, is he okay?"

' _Okay, we may be friends, but I still deserve some damn respect, moo-burger.'_

"Considering he apparently blew up half of the room according to Adam, he's still intact, but unconscious. I'm about…"

She glanced at the device built into the car that told them how long it'd take to get to the hospital. Twenty minutes, with good traffic.

"Thirty minutes out from the hospital, trying to come up with a damn good reason for why someone decided to off Jaune Arc. Angry lesbian doesn't fucking count, even if I should've just barred her from the whole thing. You know how far crazy bitches will go for that guy, Eve and you left him alone with Adam! Just because I beat twelve bitches into a coma, it doesn't mean you can go off parading that fat cow bunch over and making nice with the damn sister! GET YOUR ASS OVER THERE AND GUARD HIM WITH YOUR LIFE, COW TITS!"

She was already puzzling how to sell it to the media. This was a big disaster. The hospital would need to have damages paid, Ilia Amitola would need to be bailed out from Vale prison and there would need to be something investigated about how she could've gotten into Vale without the proper passports.

Nobody assassinated the guy that was giving Khan the hot hard shafting she needed, and she'd need to come up with a damn good excuse now, because this just complicated stuff. She wanted to get fucked, not to be seen as some wicked bitch who just made life difficult for the poor guy.

She had needs!

* * *

Jaune slowly woke up to the sound of someone asking him whether he was okay, whether he could speak. A doctor in a white coat was standing at his bedside, a set of glasses on his nose, and he immediately realized that he was in a different room and that there was something wrapped around his neck, a brace of sorts.

"Mister Arc? Are you aware?"

He cleared his throat, and he felt someone push a bottle against his lips, Camellia's face looking worriedly as she made him drink. He swallowed and let the water cool his throat.

"Yes, I'm… _Yes_. What happened?"

There was a serious look on the man's face, as he cleared his throat, the room looking different still, as he felt how his whole body seemed to shiver. His throat felt a little raw.

"You were attacked by a woman who thought you were trying to take her girlfriend away. It is through Mister Taurus' Semblance that you were spared. Rest assured that the perpetrator is in custody and that there are steps undertaken to ensure your safety, Mister Arc."

That was a factual statement, but it still wasn't something that made him feel really happy. The woman had tried to _kill_ him, and he was definitely going to be asking some very prying questions to Sienna about how Blake was involved. There was liking him, but this was just ludicrous.

"Gee, you'd think that they'd actually inform me about being in a relationship. I'm… I'm glad I'm safe, at least."

He didn't see Adam or Eve, but Camellia and her friend Mint were at his sides, as the doctor went through a few of the things that they wanted to test with him, and he flexed his fingers a little, the little snap-crack of his knuckles making the doctor look all excited.

"Some motion in the hands… well, it seems like there was at least some improvement after that explosion. The oxygen tank in the corner of the room apparently ruptured due to Mister Taurus' Semblance activating, so you were put in a different room. Can you try to move your hands a little? Try raising them s- yes, very good."

It hurt to move them, but he could raise his hands a little, even if they felt like weak little match-sticks, the look on the doctor's face somewhat relieved, as the man started to go through a few tests, Jaune's patience slowly eroding with the repetitive actions.

"Good. Now, you will be transferred to the custody of the Schnee Dust Company, as Sienna Khan has indicated on the forms that she filled in. Due to circumstances, she feels it is no longer valid for the White Fang to offer their protection, or… well, something. I am sure that she has her r-"

The door was busted open and the aforementioned Faunus entered, fully bombastic and there, her golden-orange eyes looking at the doctor, her frown and frustrated face looking like it came right to the point of near-explosion.

"I'm done waiting. _You, Arc."_

The finger that pointed at him was like she wanted to stab it straight through the heart, her attention directed at him completely, to the exclusion of others, her mouth opening for a moment before she let her eyes go over the others.

"You other guys who _aren't_ named Jaune Arc, get the hell out of the room for five minutes. _Shoo."_

The doctor looked at the woman but didn't complain as he left, his sister and her friend getting up.

"Hold the fuck up, jungle queen! Who died and made you a goddess?"

His sister Camellia's voice was fairly heated, as Sienna's gaze turned fiercer.

"Yeah, what makes you any better, you defiler of bloodlines and murderous bitch? We're not budging from his side, and you'll have to bring your whole horde of animal barnyard bitches in to drag us out! If that tranny didn't try to murder him, I'd have fewer problems with it, but you're-"

Sienna's hand went to her whip, at her side right now, the woman's eyes narrowing and fixing Mint with a glare that made the woman shut up immediately. Sienna could be fierce when she wanted it.

"I at least have _breasts_ , Miss Julep. There are some things that a Faunus must do towards one they owe a debt to, as we take certain parts of our culture very seriously. An astute scholar of history might find that several of such missteps were what led to the Revolution. Now, _scram_. I need to do formal stuff that I hate."

His sister made a soft hissing sound at Sienna, who only glared back at her, about to enter another tirade.

"Hey, sis? Just… let her do what she has to do. If Blake's dad, the chieftain of Menagerie, could be more than civil with me, let's just assume that Sienna is not going to lay a hand on me. It's okay, and if she tears my head off it's on me."

Sienna frowned at him, pointing that pointing finger at him as if he'd done something wrong. She spoke with an offended tone of voice, much like when she was going to get herself something to worry about in the privacy of her office, usually involving him sans clothing.

"Hey! I'm not going to tear your head off, human! I'd like it to remain on your shoulders, after Amitola decided that she was going to be a bad bitch. It's bad enough that I've got to do what I have to."

His sister and her friend didn't look very happy at the thought of Sienna Khan doing that. He sighed, trying to touch his sister a little. It felt nice to touch her again. Nothing like being laid in bed whilst your nervous system needed wire changes. He felt safer than he had before, as Sienna could be trusted, smiling at her.

"It'll be fine, Sis. If she's going to go and be a wicked big pussycat, I'll eh… become a tiger tamer."

Mint actually laughed at that, as his sister's death glare intensified. Sienna's death glare met his sister's. This was absolutely great. Yep.

"He will not have a Faunus for a wife as long as I live, Khan. Stay with your stinking paws off my brother, you beast."

Camellia was protective, he supposed, as Sienna sighed deeply and closed her eyes, taking the time to count to five or something, and his sister just started to cuss her out. He slowly moved his hands, trying to get himself in a better position. It wasn't something to really be fussy about, but he wanted to try.

"I'll try to _contain_ my urge to make him feel the grace of the High Leader, Miss Arc. Now let me do the formalities and then you can have your woman-friend be all nurturing to him next."

Jaune looked at Mint, and he was aware that Camellia also did that, Mint's mouth kept tightly shut, as the glare was kept on the woman's face, as his sister left, seemingly following his plea for them to leave.

Sienna waited for half a minute before she started to shed the jacket, hanging it off the bed and looking into his eyes for a long moment as the blouse joined it. The sight of Sienna's nude upper body was enough to rouse him a little, the sheets tenting slowly again as he felt himself wake up down below.

"Good, _that_ still works. That's the most important part, yes. Alright… One moment."

She knelt before the bed, out of sight, her hair and ears visible above the edge of the bed, as he slowly pushed himself up into a half-seated position, the pain hurting. He couldn't move his legs, but getting up somewhat was a possibility, which was a large improvement already.

"For that which has been done by a child of the Faunus, under the words of the forebears, I apologize and lower my head before you, maligned one."

The bow was something formal, as Sienna did it three times, before she rose, the whip flicked out, and flicked. He closed his eyes, hearing the meaty sound of something being hit by it and hearing Sienna hiss in pain.

Opening his eyes, he saw the hooked parts of the whip pull out of the flesh, as she pulled it out, bleeding red marks on her skin.

"Blood paid for the failure."

Another flick and the woman's whip snared around her upper body, blood coating the Dust-coated tip, as she pulled the hooked whip out of her flesh, a slow exhale, as her eyes looked into his own.

"Punishment for my failure."

She looked at him for a moment, telling him with her eyes not to interfere, as the whip hit her again, tears coming to her eyes, as she pulled the whip off her skin and looked into his eyes.

"I have informed Willow that she is to seize custody of you. It has come to my attention that I must lay down the law once more to those who stray from the path that the Faunus tread after we gained our Rights. This is _not_ the way of the Faunus. Those who are within the battle do not deserve to have their prize snagged by one who craves another."

He… really didn't get it. At all.

"Does that mean that Eve and Adam won't be around?"

She frowned at him, walking over. He could see a bloodied mark on her right breast, the bust wobbling a little, as a finger pointed at him.

"No, you get to see the two of them join you. It's _obvious_ that Eve seems to have let a few stitches loose with her guard, so she will need to be reminded of her spot in the world. You are able to move somewhat again. Soon, I will find that you will be able to move again and then I will show you how Khan rewards her man."

She was in need. That look of 'I want you to do horrible war crimes against my pussy with your invading spear, Jaune Arc' that smouldered with the thought of that love that she showed. She was silly to even think that he would want to do it with anyone else than her or Willow, or maybe Yang. He wanted to be better soon.

"Prepare yourself. When you can walk again, I am going to make you stop being able to walk for a week. After I've given you your pound of flesh, you will be giving Willow hers. A woman has _needs_! You fool! Think about how worried I am for your health!"

She pulled her blouse on again, wincing at the touch of the fabric against the bleeding wounds and she definitely hadn't been wearing a bra, the jacket pulled back on as she gave a sour look at him.

"I'm glad to hear that you're at least concerned for me. Can I get a kiss for good luck?"

She was at his side in a flash, and her lips pressed against his own in a passionate kiss, her eyes closed as she did, her tongue invading his mouth, the smell of blood clinging to her, as her blouse started to stain further, he undoubtedly knew. She pulled away, looking into his eyes.

"Be a fucking man. My man does not sit weakly in a bed and allows all other bitches to come and take a sniff. I'll make sure that you get what you deserve. Amitola survived, whatever you did."

He held up a hand, a small arc of lightning flickering between his fingers, an instinctual pulse of that power, as he felt it collect around his fingers.

"Nice trick. Well, at least you can turn on a lightbulb. Now go and get better."

She was out of the room after a moment, her fine rear visible and the lightning pulled back into his fingers. He sighed softly as Camellia and Mint returned, his erection slowly fading again.

"What did the big bad tiger queen want?"

It was Camellia asking that question and he sighed even deeper.

"To deliver an apology, Faunus-style. She did a whole formal bow and stuff."

His older sister nodded.

"Backwards cultures have those habits. Some cultures are better than other, and Mint will take care of your needs, if you want her to. We've had words, and it's better to let you be with a human than with a dirty filthy Faunus cow."

' _I somehow don't think that Eve would be very happy if you called her filthy.'_

He could move again somewhat with his upper body, and he shifted a little.

"Now, Adam and Eve aren't too bad. They're downright pleasant people, especially with how they're staying around to keep me safe from the big bad Faunus crowd that seems to want me dead."

Mint frowned at him and hissed softly something under her breath that sounded like 'ugly cows' but Camellia just looked at him.

"I'm afraid for your health, Jaune. What if the monsters come and take you and eat you?"

' _That's terribly racist. Faunus don't eat babies…'_

He didn't think Sienna would eat babies. Kali looked pleasant enough. Ghira looked nice, in a stoic-silent way, and Blake… yeah, if she was going for him, he'd have to say no. She was just bad for your health, and Sienna had flogged herself in front of him.

"I don't think they will…"

* * *

The meeting had gone off without a hitch, even with Sienna Khan appearing as an unforeseen guest, annoyed and biting, as usually was the case with her. She was on the Scroll with people immediately, contacting the hospital about the transfer of Jaune Arc. It was half of her company's money that she was investing into the care for Jaune Arc, to the world more to make it look like a PR stunt, to show that the Schnee Dust Company did not let innocents suffer anymore.

"I want the VIP section of the medical wing ready to receive Jaune Arc, considering that Sienna Khan has so graciously decided to dump him into our lap."

She wasn't going to give up on the special gear that would've been required for quadriplegics to walk again. It would be a humanitarian benefit, but Jaune Arc seemed to have been revitalized somewhat. A thought came to her lips about a night-time visit, with a very scanty set of clothing, perhaps a nurse outfit of sorts… But that might just bring too much attention to her impressive interest in the young man.

Already, she felt like there was an opportunity there. A little hint of things that were yet to come, something to show the young man that he had the affection of the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company.

If he was recovering…

A small smile traced along her lips as she let her tongue slide over her teeth. Her eyes met the young man currently seated at a small desk in the corner of the room, working on the financial reports.

"Mister Sleazy, I leave you to the financial reports whilst I go and instruct your fellow contenders for the seat. At the Schnee Dust Company, we will only take the _best_."

The young man spoke with a clear tone of voice, which was a blessing due to people these days just mumbling their words, saying that he'd work hard on them.

' _At least we're not at the level where we need to find a ditch to bury people in…'_

She walked through the halls of the headquarters, Olav behind her, the man's eyes looking for dangers, the faint click of her heels on the floor like a steady rhythm as she made her way towards the car that she used for her formal appearances somewhere. She wore her business suit, which made her look officially in-function, before she stepped into the car and was driven to her next appointment, which had originally been scheduled with the others at the other location. A schedule had to be kept, even if the man you loved was in the hospital, under assault by rabid Faunus women.

She entered the room, immediately looking at the other four members of the hopefuls that wished to be getting the position of being her assistant. Young faces, around twenty to thirty, still holding the hopes of the world, and she snapped her fingers.

"Mister Grass, step forward, please."

There was a pause as the young man did, the dark brown hair and silver-tinted accents on the dark blue clothing that he wore with the SDC badge on the front, giving a small nod, remaining silent.

"You will focus on the Mining department, with a focus on Vacuo. I wish to see results, as well as an increase in productivity, Mister Grass. I have read in your file that you were second to graduate in the Mining studies, so I am leaving it to you for a period of two weeks, under Mister Minioni."

The eager assistant stepped back after a quiet 'Thank you, Miss Schnee.' was given, her attention going to the others and assigning them their specialities. She paused for a moment with Sable Arc as the sole remaining member of the interns that hadn't been addressed.

"You will liaise with all of your fellow interns and gather their results and parse it into a workable format that is easy to read. I expect daily reports, Miss Arc."

The young woman, with her short shoulder-length hair and blue eyes, winced, whilst the others looked relieved that they hadn't been given the task. It was asking much of the young woman, but she would be fair.

To avoid nepotism, she had delivered the hardest job to the young woman, in order to ensure that there could be only merit. If she failed, she failed. If she succeeded, she would have the skills to manage a Kingdom given time.

"Of course, Miss Schnee. I'll get the first report on your desk tomorrow morning."

Willow thought about that for a moment before she adjusted her schedule just a little bit.

"The day after tomorrow, Miss Arc. I do not expect you four to be immediately up on top of the critical information, so you will have a one-day grace period."

The woman's Scroll went off, a cheery little musical number on the violin, the woman's face colouring bright red at the shame of being called on duty, as Willow sighed and motioned for the woman to answer it.

"Mom, what? I'm _kind_ of in an important meeting, and- Oh god, they _what?"_

Willow's face was as expressionless as her oldest daughter was possible to make it, on duty. There was only a smooth coolness, as a rushed conversation took place. She could see the other members of the eager intern five give her looks that were both pitying as well as somewhat self-satisfied at the gaffe. Interrupting the boss during a briefing was a big no-no.

"Miss Schnee, I'm sorry, my brother is in the hospital and-"

She held up a hand to forestall the barrage of apologies.

"I am _aware,_ Miss Arc. My husband was the unfortunate victim of a lightning strike together with Mister Arc. I am _well_ aware of your brother's misfortune, and Sienna Khan has handed him over to me as a responsibility. You may visit him when he is properly placed in the Schnee Dust Company VIP Medical Ward in the main building, if you can fit it in your lunch break. The Schnee Dust Company desires that you do your job. Personal feelings can be left at the front door, Miss Arc."

A harsh lesson for some, but not for one who would work as a division head. She could see Sable Arc's eyes firmly meet hers as the woman nodded in understanding, the determination and drive that the woman had being something that her younger brother also showed.

"Of course, Miss Schnee. I will do my best, thank you for your understanding."

She nodded. She was very understanding of a young man's nature. She was not the type to send racy pictures of herself, but the thoughts of her own devising were much more thrilling.

"We are a company which is filled with pride, Miss Arc. Under my husband, we may have had some damages in our public appearance, but we are still a company with a storied history. Gentlemen, young lady? I wish you good luck, and I wish to see your stars shine within my company."

She left then, getting ready for the next appointment, ready to be held in the main building, the meeting with the Vacuo-based manager through a communication link that would be remaining open for the Mistral head of operations to join three hours within the call.

' _I really don't like having to do all this by myself… But someone has to do it.'_

* * *

Jaune's eyes could see Eve's frantic expression as she burst in the room, her impressive bust wobbling and bouncing still, the shirt that she wore like the one before, obviously having ran over here or something like it. He didn't see Salmon, but he figured that Eve would have been faster, being Huntsman-trained.

"Are you okay? No, your neck, that's not good. That stupid no-chest bitch! I should've really put a stop to that uppity behaviour, if I find her, I'm going to shove my staff right in her bowels and then make her into a-"

His mother was making a face that showed clearly how much she disapproved of such language, Eve's breathing still heavy, even with Sienna having departed only ten minutes before, Mint and Camellia having been at his side the whole time. She was worried, nearly nudging Mint out of the way, her eyes worried.

"Okay, I'll tone it down. Are you alright? Baby-moo couldn't do a thing according to Sienna, and I didn't think to call him."

Adam's face fell, as Jaune looked at him with a questioning look. There was a faint flush of red around his face, as he fiddled with the hilt of his katana.

"Baby-moo?"

Adam didn't answer, even as his mother's fussing turned once more to how he was properly laid up. Camellia spoke up.

"Miss Schnee apparently will take care of things, Jaune. We'll make sure that you don't have to suffer any more of these bovine brutes."

Eve made a sound in the back of her throat, her eyes flashing angrily.

"Now wait a damn fuc- darn second, I'm not budging from Jauney boy's side. If some bitch nearly got his top off without Baby-Moo to interfere, it's obviously going to be a bodyguard's job that I'll be taking up on him. I may do acting, but I'm also a licensed bodyguard! I went to school for that stuff."

Camellia and Mint started into a two-pronged offensive, their terminology not very kind, and Jaune grabbed his mother's hand, giving it a squeeze.

"Maybe I'll get to see Sable, mom. She works at the SDC, doesn't she?"

His mother nodded, as Mint's rather screechy voice started to talk about 'befouling the air' and Camellia joined it in her anger, Eve's face rather unflappable, totally ignoring the two. Salmon arrived, looking like she'd just power-walked her way, three shopping bags under an arm. There was definitely something about Salmon as she just dumped the bags on Saphron's lap, his sister having remained mostly silent about the events, even if she had been worried. She'd been on the Scroll with Terra, talking about things, even with Camellia and Mint looking like they had serious issues with the Taurus in the room.

"I'm sure that she'll get a moment to see you, dear. Now… I've brought something."

' _Oh dear…'_

A small set of candles, and he glanced the price tag and winced a little, the herbal essences sticker that'd been put on the side meaning that it was pricy stuff.

' _That's a good hundred Lien for… four candles? Promotes healing in injured… Who even buys that crap?'_

Food was going to be tight for the family, he guessed. His mother, bless her heart, was a great woman, but her spending on things was just a common theme in things. He firmed his shoulders and cleared his throat.

"Cammy, Mint? Please… shut up, okay? If Eve had wanted to do anything bad to me, don't you think she would've done something to me already?"

Eve nodded. Her mammaries bounced with that fierce nod.

"I have standards! I'm a professional, so if I'm told to stay put, I stay put, ensuring that your cute butt is kept safe. Adam knows he's my number two, so I'm just here to guard your brother. If he wants to grab _these_ babies and make em into a juggling pair, he's more than welcome to."

His mother wasn't too charmed by the comment, but he watched Camellia's face change a little, shaking her head slowly. She was usually swayed by the arguments he proposed, probably out of sisterly love for him. He hoped that it was sisterly love, at least.

"Mint, just… just let the cow rest, okay? Jaune's said his piece and we can't exactly say that we'll achieve much with the animal."

Eve gave a little self-satisfied sound, as Salmon spoke up.

"Sooo… Jaune, care to tell me how you manage to nearly get killed by a Faunus again?"

He tried to shrug, but a jolt of pain shot through his lower body at the feeling of his muscles protesting against the move.

"I was in the way of her dating prospects? I mean, Faunus aren't exactly subtle with their affections."

It was a thing that was noticeable around Sienna. It would be fine one moment and then the next he'd be faced with Sienna with a pouty look on her face, jerking at his clothes and kissing him. Mercurial moods seemed to be a constant, though Eve was more or less someone who didn't seem to be too influenced by them.

"That girl's been into girls for a decade. Her crush on Blake is probably the worst-kept secret that was around, and she never really dared to approach Blake about it because of her father's position in society as well as Blake being still immature."

There was an 'ick' from Salmon and Saphron, Eve shrugging softly at the implications she was giving.

"We don't think like you do. That's well-understood. That's why we've got Human Studies class, back at Menagerie. Everyone who's going to be an adult will need to know how to interact somewhat civilly with humanity."

Camellia coughed. Eve turned her gaze to Camellia.

"Arial never had to take them when he was younger. He was Kingdom-born. That filthy animal left me."

Eve frowned, her lips mouthing something, but not really doing much to deny it, her hand brushing through her hair.

"We are Atlas-born, but Menagerie is our home in spirit. It's the only Kingdom that has our race as nearly ninety-nine percent of the population, so it's… We can't put it in words that are easy to understand, you know? Sometimes, it's just an urge that you can't control."

Eve was much more socially apt than Adam, whose brooding look seemed to go and be the face of the Faunus in the room, Eve's eyes sliding to him.

"This guy, here… Faunus envy him. Men will want to be like him, strong and decisive, something that draws the eyes. He's… hmm, how do I put it… He's like a slice of a very delicious cake, and you'll want that cake. You crave it, because it's a cake that's made for the best."

Camellia hissed softly.

"My brother is not a piece of meat! He's a young man who doesn't need to pollute his bed with some stupid animal making a mess!"

Saphron sighed loudly and grabbed Camellia's ear, tugging on it. Mom wasn't much for discipline, but Saphron definitely wore the pants in the household that she ran.

"Camellia, quit it. Eve wouldn't dare make a mess, just because she's a Faunus. She's been nothing but a pleasant young woman, and I won't let you make fun of one of Jaune's friends."

Camellia struggled a little as Saphron tugged her ear, trying to shake herself loose.

"Ah, Saph, no, she's evil! She'll make him pay for her babies! He'll die poor, paying for a whole herd of cows!"

Eve's eyes looked like they were about to catch fire and he knew that he had to do something, before Eve did a Sienna and actually leapt at Camellia. Faunus were a little touchy about their children, so he was sure that Sienna might actually just leap into the grand melee to make Camellia into a Camelliaburger.

A snap of the fingers and a thundercrack sounded, making the Faunus wince due to the loudness of the sound, as he tried to square his shoulders, his eyes looking at the two women.

"Shut it, ladies. Camellia, Eve isn't going to get my babies, and Eve, you're not doing some kind of performative art piece with my older sister. Camellia, Eve may tease a whole damn lot and she may just have a bit of fun because she likes to see you two get all heated, but I am not going to go and make a friend of mine just suffer a barrage of abuse just because one asshole soured you to a whole race of people."

He was getting really tired of it, but now at least, he felt like he wasn't in mortal danger. It had been dangerous to speak up when he had been paralyzed and helpless. Someone who was angry could just snap his neck if they tried, and he'd be helpless. He'd seen what sort of anger Sienna could wield, especially if she was let loose on television. She was a menace when she got it in her mind that she should be a 'bad-ass boss bitch', which was fun in its own way, but also not so fun.

"But she'll make you breed with her! That's what Faunus do, they just annihilate humanity where they can!"

He wasn't having it anymore, knowing that Camellia had been hurt by her ex leaving her with the baby in her womb, but it was just too damn much. It had to be a battlefield of ideology every damn time that the Liga people opened their mouth… almost a little like Adam had been, before he'd become the nice guy that he was now.

"Adam and you sound the same, back before when he was off his medication. He was all 'humans, raahhh, they're evil!' and wanted to have some sort of Faunus paradise where Humans didn't exist."

Adam had the grace to look a little embarrassed, his blue eyes looking out of the window, a deep reflective look on his face. Saphron tugged on Camellia's ear, another 'oww!' coming from her lips.

"Stop being _silly,_ Camellia. Mom, I'm taking Camellia and Minty out for something to cool their spirits. Seriously, I can get where they are coming from, but you've got to keep in mind people not being the damn same, Cam."

Mint and Camellia were evacuated by Saphron, his mother giving a bright smile directed towards Adam and Eve.

"I apologize for my daughter's words, dears. She's just a little sad, but her best friend is just a teensy bit too vocal at times. The dears are always off doing the right thing when Camellia works, and I am worried that she'll never find a good boy to settle down."

' _Yeah… About that…'_

He could see Eve getting ready to dismiss the topic, a nurse appearing from the door, the man's face serious and stern, though the dark brown eyes seemed to be warm and friendly, a contrast.

"I'm here to pick up Mister Arc for his transfer to the Schnee Dust Company's medical wing. Please allow me, Misses Arc. "

His mother was just mumbling something now, as he was helped out of his bed and into the wheelchair, the weight of his limbs a little more comforting, as he tried to move his legs, only to see no results from it, one of the bands around his wrists removed, the nurse making short work of it, the loose pants that he'd woken up wearing after he'd blacked out pulled up a little to make him more comfortable, as the nurse continued with the basic check-up stuff, his doctor coming to wish him a pleasant day and to wish a speedy recovery.

' _Willow wouldn't spare much in medical expense…'_

"I hope we can afford this… Willow Schnee isn't someone you can just easily brush off…"

His mother sounded worried, as Eve and Adam shared a look before they shrugged, Jaune's head turning to Salmon, whose hands were shifting through the bags of clothing stores that he knew belonged to high-end stores.

"She said that she would take care of costs, mom. It's her husband that Jaune got char-grilled with, and undoubtedly she feels a little bit of responsibility for the poor guy for being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Eve's Scroll rang, and the woman turned away to answer it, her curt manner of address clearly meaning something important was being discussed, as his mother gave a soft 'ah' and then started to talk to the nurse about how long it would take for him to be ready.

' _Well, Willow always did say that she'd take care of me…'_

Their first time at a bedroom was with her bawling her eyes out and being so drunk that she'd not really needed anything more than just someone to hold her. She'd offered him money, enough to make him stable in his finances for a while, but he'd denied her. It had spurred on this strange dance, with Sienna currently in the lead.

"Alright, it's been arranged. Adam and I will get a bed somewhere in the SDC, oh come _on,_ Adam, it's not like you're going to be roasted above a Dust furnace or something, they're not animals over there!"

Jaune's eyes found Adam's pouting face to be amusing, as the man looked grim-featured, the woman on the other end of the line undoubtedly having been either Willow or one of her assistants.

"I don't like em."

Adam's branding was something that he could imagine to be an impediment to good relations with the Schnee Dust Company. As he was rolled down towards the elevator ten minutes later, his mother at his side, he let the faintest smile stay on his face at the thought of being once more in the good graces of the woman who he had freed from her husband's snare.

' _I wonder what happened to Blake's eh… love interest.'_

He hadn't asked.

* * *

"Mister Arc is present within the medical facility, Miss Schnee."

The news was good news, she supposed, as she glanced at her video conversation with Sienna, the woman currently sat in her office, the latest motion for more Faunus-Human cooperation already firmly discussed. The bottom line was important as well, as the costs had to be kept at a minimum. She wasn't running a charity here, she knew.

"Good. I will see whether I can free some time in my schedule to see the young man."

She knew that she'd have time later tonight, but it would be some sort of sacrifice of sleep. Worth it, she supposed.

At thirty minutes past twelve, she arrived at the medical ward, flashing her identification, Olav behind her as a guardian bear, her eyes catching sight of a redheaded man currently stretched out over one of the chairs, a big-breasts redhead currently busy reading something from a pocket novel, her eyes glancing up at her, the blue eyes recognizing her immediately.

"Good evening, Willow."

The family had been there to visit the young man, she'd heard, and it was time for her to be personally present, striding to his bedside, aware of the way things were going to go between Sienna and herself.

"Jaune."

She sat down in the chair at his bedside and felt his strong hand in her own, leaning forward to deliver a soft kiss to his cheek, slowly pushing forward with her lips to his own, meeting them for a soft sensual motion, the kiss lasting longer than before, her eyes meeting with his own as the blue depths felt deeper by the moment that their kiss lasted, a shudder going through her lower body at the frustration inside her.

"I'm still okay. She didn't kill me."

Willow was glad for that. Her hand brushed over his cheek, all pretence of being coy around him for today lost in a flash of desire, as her lips pressed against his own again, the feeling of his hand against her scalp, brushing through her hair.

"I was worried."

Not so worried that she'd immediately rush to his side. Sienna would not lie to her, but she had known the woman for long enough to determine her state of being. Sienna was much more explosive in her anger if the health of Jaune was in question.

"I'll try not to get killed by angry lesbians, Willow. I don't even like Blake like that."

Willow nodded. That made sense, that made great sense, and she wasn't going to be taking the time out of her schedule to hunt down the girl if Sienna hadn't. Willow Schnee was not a woman who could be taken lightly, because she wielded power in the world.

"You should _not_ wish for anything but the best, Jaune. My son sees you as an elder brother, and my daughters will know that it is their mother who claims you. I am a _woman_ , whilst they are my _children_." Her hand slid down low, grabbing a hold of his groin, just to outline what she wanted.

"This is mine and Sienna's, and they are not going to take it from us."

She could hear Eve give a snicker and she threw a heated look at the woman.

"I'll fuck him in front of you, bargain-bin cow. Sienna told me about how you're behind me. I hold a superior claim."

Eve's face darkened for some reason as Willow's head turned to her and her fingers brushed a little up and down over him, a teasing smile on her lips.

' _Let's see how the good cow resists…'_

He would be hers, and she would make sure that he would remain hers, as long as he could be. Her fingers slid down, touching his groin, the urge inside her welling up to shed all pretence… but that would mean actually letting her word be worth nothing. She wished a man to take her who was fully capable of his bodily functions of screwing a Schnee. But fifty percent functionality was already an advancement in his favour. People who had such extensive nerve damage usually had lasting complications, which was something that she didn't really wish to see with Jaune.

"A superior claim…"

She leaned a little closer, letting her tongue trace over his cheek, his breathing a little deeper. The young man hadn't had a chance to get himself all relieved during his hospital stay, undoubtedly. Her fingers continued to wriggle and work, manipulating the manly stave through the cloth and the sheet that covered his lower body.

"Does it feel good, Jaune? It's been a _while_ , hasn't it?"

She heard the soft gasp, could feel how he stiffly bucked a little against her. Such control, such power, and he wasn't going to use it yet. A bit of a teaser… something to remind herself of when she was in her bed later, aware that he would be thinking of her.

"Hmmm, it's been a while for me as well. I _want_ you."

He breathed heavily, as the Faunus merely stared in strict observance, her fingers sliding down into the space between his legs, nails raking over the sheets.

"My… Such an oppressive little sight. That looks like something that I'd like to plant a flag on, mister Arc…"

She was horrible, she knew. A little flick of the finger and he shuddered, just as a pent-up man should be. Two weeks without release… She might have jumped him already, if she wasn't a moral woman who had discipline and self-control.

Her index finger brushed up and down slowly.

"Or perhaps…"

A little pat, and she could feel how it quivered, her fingertip pushing against it.

"Perhaps you'd rather like to get better, so that I can show you what a Schnee can give you, compared to the girls that I call daughters. I am a strong woman, Mister Arc…"

Her fingernail scratched the head and he made the most adorable whimpering sound. If he hadn't been bed-bound, she could imagine him throwing her onto the bed and giving her what she had earned for her love…

Her tongue slid slowly over her lips, as the red lipstick made them look shiny.

"But…"

Her lips moved closer to his ear, her volume lowering.

"You're going to have to get _better_ , Jaune Arc, or else I'll be forever out of your reach. I want to feel you grab a hold of me and never let me go. You only deserve me and my love when you are able to storm down to my office, kick down the door and ravage me on my desk…"

And the finger brushed over the lower part, at the base, before it ran up again.

"Consider it…an _incentive_ , Mister Arc. The Schnee Dust Company only wishes for the cream of the crop…"

Her hand grabbed his junk and she squeezed it, and her eyes met his own.

"And it's CEO deserves a _hero_."

He breathed out sharply, as his teeth were visible for a moment before he swallowed.

"I guess I'll have to treat you like Sienna."

Willow's smile was broad as she did.

"I'm _counting_ on it, Mister Jaune Arc. I hope to see you recovered swiftly."

She got up again, aware that he had lipstick on his lips from when she'd kissed him.

"Fuck, my pussy got wet. Adam?"

Eve Taurus spoke up, as Adam Taurus snored, blissfully unaware of the challenge that had been levelled at Jaune Arc by her. Willow Schnee departed with a little pat to her lover's head, an incentive that she'd given him… He'd have to suffer a little more, she guessed.

Sienna was all physical passion, but she knew how to stimulate the mind. She worked in bends, Sienna was right to the front and at them.

Willow Schnee was refined, classy and most certainly not getting outdone by a _Faunus_.

Her husband-to-be had to crave her. Jacques had been bland, but Jaune would be the spice in her life's soup.

She couldn't wait for that day when he'd kick the door down and take her like she deserved. Let it not be said that Willow Schnee's sex drive was as dead as her former husband.

Every woman desired _passion_ from her man.

* * *

 **I try to update my fics once every two weeks. Sorry that that's a little slow. Writing a 9000 word chapter takes a bit of time and I don't want to have to give up quality to push out a weekly update. That wouldn't read very well, and Dance is in the final arc. I hope people are staying safe during this Corona epidemic, and I wish all of you the best these days.**

 **Leave a review if you'd like.**


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